Srinagar, May 15 -- Faiz Dijoo

Healthcare has historically remained one of the most sensitive and challenging sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike many other regions of the country, the challenges here were never limited to shortages of doctors or hospital infrastructure alone. Geography, political instability, harsh climatic conditions, poor connectivity in remote areas, and decades of administrative disruption have collectively weakened the healthcare delivery system across the region.

For years, access to quality treatment in Jammu and Kashmir largely depended on geography and economic status. A patient living in Srinagar or Jammu had comparatively better access to healthcare than someone residing in Kupwara, Gurez, Kishtwar, Doda, P...