85 posts created for Nursing Schools to make them fully functional

Jammu:The State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here Friday under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik accorded sanction to the the creation of 85 posts for 6- Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) Schools and 5- General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) Schools in the State.
The posts created include 06 posts of Principal, 18 posts of Nursing Tutor and 06 posts of Clerk for ANM Schools and 05 posts of Principal, 35 posts of Sister Tutor, 05 posts of Clerk, 05 posts of Library Assistant and 05 posts of Lab Attendant for GNM Schools.
As per Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) norms, the health sector in the State is facing shortage of Nurses. As per the IHPS norms the ratio of nurses to a bed is 1:5 and in ICU 1:1. However, in J&K it is 1:10. Health Department requires around 3193 Nurses while the actual staff strength is 1290, thereby, leaving a gap of around 1900 Nurses.
06 ANM and 5 GNM Schools were sanctioned by Government of India in 2009-10 on 85:15 funding pattern. The ANM schools are in Bandipora, Budgam, Kishtwar, Ramban and Shopian and GNM Schools are in Kulgam, Udhampur, Akhnoor, Pulwama and Kargil.
All 11 ANM/GNM schools have been completed and handed over to the Health Department. Moreover, 03 ANM schools viz Bandipore, Kishtwar, Reasi and 03 GNM schools viz Pulwama, Kulgam, and Akhnoor are functioning from 2017-18, on internal arrangement basis.
With the establishment of these 11 Nursing Schools in the state, the nursing services will be strengthened once these start functioning.
These institutions shall produce 40 ANM students and 60 GNM students per school every year, which means that these 11 ANM/GNM Schools shall annually produce 540 skilled nursing staff. Further, the number of available nursing students will go up when the additional 10 ANM/GNM Schools, which are also coming up under centrally assistance under Phase-II, will be completed and made functional.