In a case of decrepit health system in Jammu and Kashmir, state's first health clinic which was to cater exclusively to needs of the government employees and was opened in the Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu, has long been shut.

The employee's health clinic which was opened in the GMC so that the government employees including the staff of the GMC didn’t have to sit in queues or give favours to be diagnosed has been shut.

Medical Superintendent of the GMC, Dr Ramesh Gupta, said, “The employees clinic was closed as we didn't feel the need to keep a separate staff for running it. Employees can also get the medical advice from general Out Patient Departments (OPDs) and there was no need for a separate employees clinic in the hospital.''

However while the employees clinic has been closed, the room where it has been set up is not being used for any other purpose. “In an era of specialized healthcare, it was extremely important that the employees especially those working in the GMC should have a separate facility for getting medical diagnosis” sources say, adding that the employees clinic was opened nearly four years back, however after the clinic was opened at the GMC it didn't function even for more than a month.

“The clinic was manned by junior staff only and the senior doctors never came to diagnose the patients. This was the reason that the employees didn't come to the clinic and preferred to get diagnosed by the senior doctors in their office chambers and even in the general OPDs” sources said, adding however they have asked the higher authorities in GMC to re-start the clinic.

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