J&K should adopt PPP mode: Dr Nagpal

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Jul 2: Asia’s iconic hospital administrator and creator of J&K's prestigious Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in 1978-82, Dr Ajit K. Nagpal, said that several services problem including the cardinal Emergency Services could not be addressed effectively until the State adopts the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode on the pattern of some South and Central Indian states.

Dr Nagpal, who is now Chairman & Director General of Dubai-based Amity University Middle East Initiative told STATE TIMES in an exclusive interview that the heath Task Force during Omar Abdullah’s regime had recommended operation of the ambulance services in J&K in PPP mode on the pattern of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujurat. He said that as per his knowledge, on recommendation of the Task Force, J&K Legislative Assembly had also passed a law that would enable the State to adopt and introduce the PPP mode.

Dr Nagpal was a prominent member of the health Task Force.

He said that there was an identified requirement of around 100 specialised and critical care ambulances for hospitals in J&K. "Even if government will provide enough funds for its existing ambulance system, it will not work. J&K has a golden opportunity as, lately, NITI Ayog has authorised the States to take such decisions independent of the Centre", Dr Nagpal asserted.

He revealed that there was tremendous scope of involvement of private sector as many business houses had the ambulance operations under PPP mode as a priority in their corporate social responsibility (CSR). “Some of them have provided not only the vehicles and machinery but also the experienced staff to the States which have engaged them in PPP mode”, Dr Nagpal informed.

He said that he was waiting for his first meeting with the new CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. "Unfortunately there were floods in September last year and thereafter no meeting of Task Force could take place. State was also preoccupied with transit of power and elections. I didn't want to bother the State government over the months", Dr Nagpal said. He disclosed that he was in touch with CM's Secretariat and Commissioner-Secretary Health Dr Mandeep K. Bhandari.

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