Calls for urgent reforms as patients face recurring healthcare challenges.
SKIMS Faces Major Fund Lapses, Calls for Urgent Reforms
Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, has come under scrutiny after over 34% of its allocated funds for 2023-24 lapsed, highlighting severe inefficiencies in its internal procurement system. This marks the third consecutive year of significant fund lapses—34.16% in 2021-22, 21.72% in 2022-23, and rising again to 34.22% in 2023-24—raising concerns over the institution’s administrative functioning.
The unutilized funds, originally intended for medical procurement, infrastructure upgrades, and patient care improvements, have severely impacted healthcare services at the region’s premier medical institution. The “insufficient and sluggish” procurement process has been cited as a key reason behind this financial mismanagement.
In response, the government has extended the services of the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited to SKIMS in an effort to streamline procurement. Additionally, a dedicated SKIMS Cell has been established to fast-track decision-making. However, experts argue that deeper institutional reforms are necessary to eliminate bureaucratic delays and administrative bottlenecks.
The institute also faces a severe faculty and staff shortage, affecting patient care and medical education. The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and JKSSB have now been tasked with recruitment to ensure merit-based and transparent hiring processes.
Healthcare analysts stress the need for a comprehensive audit of SKIMS’ procurement and recruitment policies to prevent recurring lapses and improve service delivery. While autonomy is essential for the institute’s growth, administrative inefficiency cannot be ignored, they caution.
