Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today asked country's prominent citizens to come forward and play an active role in removing negative perception - a tag, he said, which has unjustly stuck with the state.
"The bad patch that state went through is over and a new phase that focuses on development is being unveiled by the present government. As you see, there is a visible change and Kashmir will rise again to become abode of peace and tranquillity," Sayeed said.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the 25th Annual Conference of North Zone Urological Society of India here.
He praised the 'gene of tolerance ingrained in the people' and remembered Mahatma Gandhi's 'ray of hope' compliment given to the state when the "entire country was burning in a communal frenzy in 1947".
"I do not know how, but negative perception seems to have stuck with us for a pretty long time," he said, urging delegates to help in changing the people's mindset and turning the image of the state around.
He pledged to provide quality healthcare to people within the state so that they do not have to suffer the ignominy of travelling to other parts of the country for expensive medical treatment.
"I urge the doctors to acquaint themselves with latest techniques and best practices so that patients are provided top-class medical treatment within the state," he said.
The chief minister said he was saddened when some of the best doctors "left" when political turbulence hit the state.
"A few of them like Dr Sushil Razdan, Dr U Koul and Dr Sameer Koul come here regularly, but I want them to permanently return to their native place," he said.
The chief minister said the health sector has been accorded highest priority by the government.
"We are establishing five new medical colleges and two AIIMS which will go a long way in improving healthcare system," he said.
Keeping in mind the requirement of healthcare facilities in far-flung and inaccessible areas, particularly for women and children, Sayeed said PHCs are being upgraded to the level of childcare and maternity centres.
"For providing facilities that match the very best, the government will encourage investment in health sector so that quality of essential services is improved," he said.
The chief minister appreciated latest advances made in the field of urology, in particular urological laparoscopic procedures and laser surgery for prostate& kidney stones, which are now being performed in the state.
"It is heartening that technology and expertise in urology has advanced to such an extent that hardly any open surgical procedure is performed nowadays," he said, while praising the doctors for their skills in professionally diagnosing the ailments that patients suffer from.
