Though second strain of covid-19 pandemic is yet to end but the Jammu & Kashmir Government like other state and UT governments can draw lessons from the experiences of the two consecutive waves of the pandemic. Though unchallenged fact is that Jammu & Kashmir has fared relatively better than other states and union territories keeping in view the no of deaths, no of positive cases and no of recovered positive patients but equally undeniable reality is that deadly virus has put under stress the entire healthcare facilities in Jammu & Kashmir. Had the oxygen concentrators, ventilators and vaccines not reached simultaneously Srinagar and Jammu in time, the situation won’t have improved as much as it has improved during last two weeks. Even timely delivery of oxygen concentrators, ventilators and anti-covid vaccines won’t have made a huge difference in Jammu & Kashmir if government run hospitals won’t have well trained doctors for running the covid treatment facilities with efficacy, efficiency and professional commitment. Well trained doctors of government run hospitals deserve appreciation for putting in their best by utilising minimum resources to keep the spread of ongoing second strain of the covid pandemic under control till the arrival of oxygen concentrators, ventilators and anti-covid vaccines in Srinagar and Jammu simultaneously. Well advanced healthcare system that withstood the huge covid stress for two consecutive years shows that it has remained a priority sector for several decades in Jammu & Kashmir. Better quality of doctors in Jammu & Kashmir that led to better management of covid care facility centres has no doubt made a huge difference in containing pandemic but growing tendency among youth to build careers in medical sciences both within and outside the country is one single reason for availability of better quality of doctors in Jammu & Kashmir.
Jammu & Kashmir performing better than other states and union territories in containing the Covid-19 pandemic does not give it a license to show complacency in facing the emerging challenges of a possible third strain of the pandemic but instead it has to learn lessons from the experiences of the two consecutive strains of the pandemic for blocking the possible third wave of the pandemic in Jammu & Kashmir.
Though covid-19 pandemic brought with it a huge adversity in Jammu & Kashmir like many other states and union territories of the country but it also proved to be a litmus test for healthcare systems not only in India but even in developed countries which were famous for having highly advanced healthcare systems. Fortunately in Jammu & Kashmir the tendency of private investments in health sector has also shown an unprecedented rise over the period of years and consequently better health facilities are available even in private sector in both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. However Jammu & Kashmir performing better than other states and union territories in containing the Covid-19 pandemic does not give it a license to show complacency in facing the emerging challenges of a possible third strain of the pandemic but instead it has to learn lessons from the experiences of the two consecutive strains of the pandemic for blocking the possible third wave of the pandemic in Jammu & Kashmir.
