MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was informed on Thursday that the government had planned to create five posts for plastic surgeons in as many major health facilities across the state, with appointments to follow.

During the question hour, Health Minister Nisar Ansar Abdali admitted that currently, no positions for plastic surgeons existed in any hospital in the state.

To address this gap, the government had included a proposal under the General Health Package for the creation of these positions at Divisional Headquarters Teaching Hospital Mirpur, Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences, Muzaffarabad, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (CMH) Muzaffarabad, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (CMH) Rawalakot, and DHQ Hospital (Burn Center) Kotli, he said, adding, the finance department had approved the creation of these positions and that the recruitment process would commence soon.

In response to another question, Mr Abdali informed the assembly that before the October 2005 earthquake, the women’s ward at CMH Muzaffarabad was named after Ms Fatima Jinnah and was known as the Fatima Jinnah Family Ward.

This ward included gynecology, pediatric, family medical, and family surgical units. However, the devastating earthquake destroyed the entire infrastructure, including the Fatima Jinnah Family Ward, and no records of its expenditures were available, he said.

The minister further stated that the hospital had been rebuilt with financial assistance from the UAE government and renamed Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Hospital.

He suggested that if deemed appropriate, the government could issue an order to rename the gynecology and pediatric wards after Ms Fatima Jinnah.

Speaking on the matter, former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider informed the assembly that the Mother of the Nation, Ms Fatima Jinnah, had donated Rs300,000 for the hospital in Muzaffarabad.

A separate hospital in her name had been established alongside CMH before it was destroyed in the earthquake, he said.

Mr Haider admitted his shortcoming during his tenure as prime minister for not being able to restore the hospital and suggested that the government could rebuild it, taking credit for the initiative.

Responding to this, Mr Abdali assured the assembly that all possible steps would be taken in this regard.

During the question hour, PTI MLA Chaudhry Rafique Nayyar drew attention of the house to the non-payment of compensation to AJK residents who had lost their lives in the Greece boat tragedy.

In response, Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq acknowledged the delay but assured the house that the government remained committed to fulfilling its promise and would ensure the payments were made.

The session also approved several resolutions before being adjourned to reconvene on Friday.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2024