SRINAGAR, Sep 17: Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Front (PDF) President and former Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Thursday expressed concern over the growing burden of liver diseases in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the Union and J&K governments to establish a fully functional liver transplant facility in the region.
Yaseen said patients suffering from advanced liver diseases, particularly those from economically weaker sections, are often compelled to travel outside Jammu and Kashmir for specialised treatment, placing a heavy financial and emotional burden on their families.
“Liver diseases have become a serious health concern in Jammu and Kashmir. Poor patients are among the worst affected as they are forced to travel outside the Union Territory for treatment, which involves huge expenses for travel, accommodation, medical procedures and prolonged follow-up,” Yaseen said.
He said the absence of a comprehensive liver transplant facility in J&K was creating a significant healthcare gap and called for urgent intervention to address it.
Yaseen referred to earlier efforts at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) to establish a liver transplant programme, saying the initiative needs to be taken forward on a time-bound basis. SKIMS had in August 2024 held a comprehensive programme with leading liver-transplant experts to discuss a roadmap for starting the facility. The institute had said that the programme would require requisite infrastructure, protocols and a transplant licence.
“SKIMS is already a major tertiary-care institution and has the expertise and infrastructure to provide advanced medical services. A dedicated liver transplant programme should therefore be pursued with urgency so that patients from Jammu and Kashmir do not have to depend entirely on hospitals outside the region,” he said.
Yaseen said the government should assess the actual burden of liver-related diseases in J&K and formulate a comprehensive strategy covering early diagnosis, specialised treatment, transplant services, post-transplant care and financial assistance for poor patients.
He also stressed the need to strengthen gastroenterology and hepatology services at government hospitals and improve referral mechanisms so that patients can receive timely treatment before their conditions become critical.
“The issue is not confined to transplantation alone. There is a need to strengthen screening, diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases at different levels of the healthcare system. Early detection can save lives and also reduce the financial burden on families,” he said.
Yaseen urged the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the J&K Health Minister Ms Sakina Itoo to jointly examine the issue and allocate adequate funds for establishing and operationalising a liver transplant programme.
He said the government should also consider providing dedicated financial assistance to economically weaker patients requiring advanced liver treatment and transplantation.
“People should not be forced to sell their property, borrow heavily or depend on public donations simply because a specialised treatment facility is not available within J&K,” Yaseen said.
He added that a functional liver transplant programme at SKIMS would not only reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region but would also strengthen J&K’s tertiary healthcare infrastructure and provide a major relief to families facing critical illnesses.
Yaseen called for a coordinated approach involving health authorities, medical institutions and specialists to ensure that the long-pending requirement is addressed in a transparent and time-bound manner.