National Conference State Secretary and former MLC Mr Rattan Lal Gupta on Wednesday expressed surprise over the placement of Jammu and Kashmir at  seventh slot of NITI Ayog report with regard to performance, saying this is contrary to the ground reality.

 "Actually the health services are in disarray with hospitals and health institutions in rural and semi urban areas suffering neglect in terms of staff, diagnostic facilities and medicines", Mr Gupta said in a statement here.

 The State Secretary said mere buildings do not make institutions unless these are made functional by way of ensuring presence of the sanctioned staff of medicos and paramedic besides availability of diagnostic facilities and medicines. He cited the plight of a primary health centre being manned by just a paramedic despite sanctioned staff of over 10 doctors. Where have these doctors been attached, he asked, saying deployment of staff needs immediate audit by an independent panel. 

 "To begin with, the State Health and Medical Education Department should detach all the attachments and repatriate the staff, particularly doctors to their places of postings", Mr Gupta said while calling for effective superintendence and monitoring of punctuality of the staff. He also regretted over the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities in ensuring functioning of various units in the Super Specialty Hospital and Government Medical College Hospital in the wake of retirement of senior doctors. How can the government be indifferent towards the important health services in the state, he questioned.