Under fire from the opposition over healthcare facilities in areas along the border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government today said those areas have sufficient number of health centres with adequate medicare facilities.
 

Minister for Health and Medical Education Bali Bhagat informed the Legislative Council that all the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir divisions have sufficient number of health centres. He was replying to a calling attention notice by MLC Surinder Choudhary towards the situation arisen due to "non- availability" of basic facilities in health institutions in the border areas.

Bhagat said all health centres in these areas are providing proper healthcare facilities to the locals. "The required medicines as per the norms are being provided in these health institutions under free drugs policy. Besides, all basic facilities like IV fluids, analgesics, anti-pyretic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotics, dressing materials and other allied items are being provided as per the need and requirement in adequate quantities," he said.

The minister said manpower and infrastructure of these health facilities have been augmented to cater to the basic needs of the residents of those areas. Additional staff and ambulances from nearby health facilities have been deputed to cater to the emergencies as and when required, Bhagat said.

The health department has always remained at the forefront to meet any eventualities that may arise due to harsh winters, cross-border firing or natural calamities by providing all basic facilities to the residents of the border areas, the minister said.