J&K: Upgraded dental care facilities to reach remote area of Budgam, MoU signed

Srinagar, Mar 6 (PTI) The Government Dental College Srinagar will now provide upgraded dental care facilities in remote Khaag block in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district, officials said here on Friday.

Department of Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar to this effect.

"The agreement focuses on the collaborative strengthening, upgrading, and capacity building of the Dental Health Centre at PHC Khaag, a rural health training centre of GMC Srinagar, mandated by National Medical Commission in Budgam district," said Dr Aasim Farooq, head of Department of Public Health Dentistry.

He said this collaboration will serve as a model for upgradation of dental health care services across the J&K.

"The department is already running five such peripheral centres in collaboration with Government Medical College Baramulla and Directorate of Health Services at CHC Tangmarg, PHC Sallar Anantnag, HC Fakir Gujri Srinagar, UHTC Bagi Islam Baramulla and RHTC Kalantra Baramulla," Dr Farooq added.

This collaboration has taken effect in compliance to implementation of decisions of meeting held under the chairmanship of member NITI Aayog Dr Vinod K Paul in September last year regarding key challenges and issues faced by the UT of J&K related to accessibility and availability of dental health services.

The key challenges faced to enhance the accessibility and availability of dental health services across J&K are rural-urban disparity, advanced dental care being limited to dental colleges only and non-existent framework for training and capacity building of the existing manpower.

Speaking on the occasion, Sandeep Kaur Bali, Principal of Government Dental College & Hospital, Srinagar, said this collaboration embodies the commitment to taking quality dental care beyond the confines of the college.

"By joining forces with the Department of Community Medicine, we are adopting a holistic approach to upgrade the Dental Health Centre in Budgam into a model facility that serves as a benchmark for peripheral healthcare in the valley," Bali added. PTI MIJ NB NB