The court’s directive came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that seeks judicial intervention to improve basic healthcare services for cancer treatment in Jammu and Kashmir, reports Greater Kashmir. The division bench, comprising Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, requested Advocate General D. C. Raina to assist in the proceedings. The case has been scheduled for further hearing on July 16.

“Keeping in view the importance of the issue, we request the learned Advocate General to assist the Court in the matter and file a brief status report with regard to appointment of doctors and installation of PET Scan machines,” said the Court.

The petition, filed in 2017, calls for the government to ensure the availability of sufficient oncologists, onco-surgeons, and PET scan machines necessary for the treatment of various cancers. The court’s decision to seek a detailed report highlights the pressing need for enhanced cancer care infrastructure and professional medical support in the region.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that in a significant move to enhance the quality of medical education and streamline the faculty structure, the Administrative Council of Jammu and Kashmir, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, approved the implementation of a 3-Tier Faculty Structure in Government Medical Colleges and Super Specialty Hospitals in both Jammu and Srinagar. This decision aligns with the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) guidelines and mirrors the system in the new Government Medical Colleges in J&K.

The approved reform involves the upgrading of 287 Lecturer positions to Assistant Professors, ensuring adherence to the minimum teacher eligibility qualifications in medical institutes mandated by the NMC.