Effective referral system a challenge: Dr Kaiser


Kashmir Magazine

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government appointed senior paediatrician Dr Kaiser Ahmad Kaul as interim principal of the Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar.

Kaul replaced Prof Samia Rashid, whose appointment by the State cabinet has been rejected by the court.

“Consequent, upon the directions given by the Chief Secretary, J&K, Dr Kaiser Ahmed Kaul, HoD Pediatrics, GMC Srinagar is hereby directed to take over the charge of Principal GMC, Srinagar with immediate effect,” reads an order issued by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Khan.

Soon after Divisional Commissioner issued the order for the interim arrangement for the charge of Principal GMC Srinagar, Kaul assumed the charge of Principal GMC Srinagar.

“My priorities to upgrade the facilities and coordination between various associated hospitals of GMC Srinagar and health department to develop a proper healthcare delivery system, which we still lack,” Kaul told Kashmir News Service (KNS).

He said that the development and recruitment of human resources is essential for any health institution. “At all levels, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels a proper referral system needs to be developed for delivering effective healthcare,” he said.


He said, “We will develop coordination between the health department and the Health and Medical Education department to streamline the human resource.”

Kaul said that hospitals in Kashmir are facing maldistribution of human resource, which needs to be corrected.

He said footfall of patients would decide the posting of manpower which will change the healthcare system in Kashmir.

“Why patients should be unnecessarily referred from the periphery to tertiary. We will place adequate human resource at appropriate places to streamline healthcare. Importantly, we need more human resource at peripheries,” he said.