JAMMU, Jul 1: On the occasion of National Doctors’ Day, Dr. Arun Sharma has brought pride and recognition to the Department of Health and Medical Education, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, by becoming a certified NABH Assessor (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) after successfully completing the prestigious assessor training programme, qualifying the examination conducted by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers under the Quality Council of India (QCI), and completing the mandatory observership assessments.
The achievement marks another significant milestone in Dr. Sharma’s distinguished career spanning more than three decades in healthcare administration, quality assurance, and hospital management.
Dr. Arun Sharma’s journey in promoting quality healthcare began in 2016 when he was empanelled as a J&K State Assessor for the Kayakalp Programme, an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, aimed at promoting cleanliness, hygiene, sanitation, infection prevention, and quality improvement in public healthcare institutions.
Under the programme, healthcare facilities are assessed on parameters including hospital upkeep, sanitation and hygiene, waste management, infection control, support services, and hygiene promotion.
As a Kayakalp Assessor, Dr. Sharma conducted extensive assessments of healthcare institutions across Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh, including Leh and Kargil districts, contributing significantly to the promotion of quality healthcare practices in public health facilities.
In 2020, he was selected as a National External Assessor under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) programme of the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. NQAS is a comprehensive framework designed to ensure quality healthcare delivery in public health facilities across the country, including District Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
As an NQAS National Assessor, Dr. Sharma has conducted numerous physical and virtual assessments of healthcare institutions across various states and Union Territories of India. His work has contributed to strengthening healthcare quality, patient safety, infection control practices, service delivery standards, and institutional quality management systems.
The latest achievement of becoming an NABH Assessor represents the pinnacle of quality accreditation expertise in the healthcare sector. NABH, a constituent board of the Quality Council of India established in 2005, is India’s premier accreditation body for hospitals and healthcare organizations.
NABH accreditation is considered the gold standard for healthcare quality and patient safety, ensuring that hospitals adhere to internationally benchmarked standards of care, governance, and clinical excellence.
Dr. Sharma’s professional credentials are equally impressive. After obtaining his MBBS degree from Government Medical College, Jammu, he pursued postgraduate studies in Hospital Administration. During his illustrious career of over 32 years, he has served in several key positions, including Medical Superintendent of various District Hospitals and Government Medical College hospitals, besides holding the important responsibility of State Programme Manager under the National Health Mission, Jammu & Kashmir.
A passionate advocate of healthcare quality and institutional excellence, Dr. Sharma is also a Life Member of the Confederation of Accredited Healthcare Organizations (CAHO) and presently serves as its Chairperson for Jammu & Kashmir. He is a Life Member of the Academy of Hospital Administration (AHA), India, and served as Regional Secretary of the Jammu Branch of AHA during 2024-25.
During his tenure with AHA, he played a pivotal role in organizing more than 25 Management Development Programmes (MDPs), benefitting over 3,000 healthcare professionals across Jammu & Kashmir and significantly enhancing managerial and leadership capacities within the healthcare sector.
He is also associated with several prestigious professional bodies, including the Research Foundation of Hospital & Healthcare Administration (RFHHA), Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi, Indian Medical Association (IMA), and various other healthcare and administrative organizations.
Speaking about his achievement, Dr. Sharma emphasized that quality in healthcare is not merely a certification process but a continuous journey aimed at improving patient safety, service delivery, clinical outcomes, and public trust in healthcare institutions.
His longstanding commitment to healthcare quality inspired him to pursue the role of an NABH Assessor, enabling him to contribute more effectively towards raising standards of healthcare delivery across the country.
Colleagues and healthcare professionals have congratulated Dr. Sharma on this remarkable accomplishment, describing it as a proud moment for the healthcare fraternity of Jammu & Kashmir and an inspiration for young medical professionals aspiring to contribute to quality improvement and healthcare excellence.
His achievement on Doctors’ Day serves as a testament to the growing contribution of Jammu & Kashmir’s healthcare professionals in shaping national standards of quality healthcare and institutional excellence.