AMRITSAR: The holy city is emerging as the most preferred destination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir for getting medical treatment of various ailments, owing to quality patient care and high-end medical services available here.
People in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in Srinagar and other remote areas, have to struggle for general healthcare and wellbeing. Time and again, incidents of violence, imposition of curfew, migration of medical professionals due to disorder in the Valley, shortage of lifesaving and essential drugs etc have not only made healthcare unattainable but also costly, which makes many Kashmiri residents opt for medical treatment outside the Valley and Amritsar was the most favoured destination due to quality care of patient and availability of high-quality healthcare facilities, said Dr Avtar Singh of Amandeep Hospital, who himself visit Srinagar every second or third month for medical consultancy in a kidney hospital.
Notably, it was late Dr Karam Singh Garewal who first began visiting Srinagar for orthopedic treatment in the early seventies, which not only boosted the confidence of Kashmiris in doctors from Amritsar, but also started the “medical tourism” from Jammu and Kashmir to Amritsar. He was also Professors Emeritus, Government Medical College, Srinagar.
Muhammad Ezaz, a patient from Srinagar who is here for treatment of a foot injury due to a gunshot, said they lack high-quality medical services in Srinagar due to which many patients die even in treatable medical conditions. “Most of the patients come to Amritsar for medical treatment, especially orthopedic and eye ailments while a few also go to Chandigarh and Delhi but in my opinion medical treatment is affordable in Amritsar and hospital staff is supportive.”
