Stronger Health, Stronger J&K

Public healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir received a significant boost with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art 120-bedded additional block at Srinagar’s Bone & Joint Hospital—an institution that has, for decades, stood as a symbol of resilience and service amidst adversity. The new facility, equipped with modern infrastructure, reflects not only a tangible expansion of capacity but also a renewed commitment to equitable, accessible, and people-centric healthcare. However, while the ribbon-cutting ceremony marks a visible achievement, it also brings to the surface broader conversations around the sustainability of such developments and the critical need for a balanced approach that equally prioritizes rural and urban healthcare delivery.

The Bone & Joint Hospital’s history is steeped in both legacy and struggle. From the devastating floods of 2014 to the fire in 2022 that gutted critical operation theatres and wards, the institution has weathered immense challenges. Yet, through it all, doctors and staff continued to perform surgeries and deliver care, sometimes even without a roof over their heads. The resilience shown by healthcare professionals during these times has become a cornerstone of public faith in the system. It is this faith that the new expansion aims to honour, by upgrading infrastructure to match the standards of their dedication. What stands out about this development is the leadership’s clear acknowledgment that infrastructure, while essential, is not the end goal. There is an earnest understanding that buildings must translate into functioning systems—beds must serve patients, operation theatres must remain active, and teaching spaces must continue to inspire the next generation of doctors. For this to happen, the focus must now shift toward rapid staffing, operational readiness, and support services. A hospital is only as effective as the people who run it, and while technology and construction timelines can be tightly controlled, human resource development takes time, planning, and persistent political will. This inauguration also opened a window into a broader philosophy: that healthcare and education are not peripheral sectors, but foundational pillars of societal progress. No society can truly prosper without ensuring that its citizens have access to quality medical care and learning opportunities. While investment in roads, power, and digital infrastructure is important, it is the hospitals and schools that touch lives most intimately and form the heart of a just and forward-looking governance model. However, even as we celebrate urban healthcare advancements, the widening gap between rural and urban health infrastructure cannot be ignored. Stakeholders at the event rightly raised concerns about the chronic underutilization of rural health centres, where normal deliveries and minor surgeries are frequently referred to already overburdened tertiary hospitals in urban centres. This practice, born of staff shortages and inadequate facilities, not only puts undue pressure on city hospitals but also robs rural populations of timely and accessible care. The need of the hour is a comprehensive rural health strategy—one that includes staff incentives, robust primary health centres, telemedicine support, and mobile diagnostic units. Equally important is the call to integrate healthcare with urban development planning. Issues like water-logging, poor road access, and unplanned growth around hospitals can significantly hamper emergency response and patient safety. The commitment to identify and eliminate waterlogging hotspots in Srinagar is a welcome step, but it must be followed through with systematic execution and transparency. Healthcare institutions should not function in isolation from the city they inhabit—they must be seamlessly woven into the urban fabric through smart infrastructure and civic coordination. It was also heartening to see the tribute paid to those who have contributed to the institution’s journey, from faculty and administrators to the families of deceased doctors. In a sector often driven by thankless hours and emotional labour, such gestures offer more than ceremonial value; they reaffirm a culture of respect, continuity, and institutional memory.

As Jammu and Kashmir continues on its path of reconstruction, healthcare must remain central to its developmental vision. The expansion of the Bone & Joint Hospital offers both hope and a reminder that public health is not just about buildings but about systems that work, people who care, and leadership that listens. For the region’s aspirations to be fully realized, this momentum must be sustained, scaled, and, most importantly, equitably distributed across its urban and rural landscapes.