Kashmir battles a silent epidemic

Mohammad Hanief

The health scenario in Kashmir is undergoing a profound transformation, and the most striking feature of this change is the rising number of diseases affecting its population. Where once the valley’s health concerns were dominated by infectious illnesses and maternal mortality, today noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular ailments, and cancer are increasing at an alarming pace. This surge reflects lifestyle changes, dietary habits, and the psychological stress of living in a region. The growing burden of disease has become the defining challenge for Kashmir’s healthcare system, forcing policymakers, doctors, and communities to rethink how health is delivered and sustained.

The rise of noncommunicable diseases has not replaced older challenges but added to them. Tuberculosis, waterborne illnesses, and seasonal flu outbreaks continue to affect rural areas, creating a dual burden that stretches the system thin. Hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu report increasing admissions for chronic conditions, while district facilities struggle to keep pace with both communicable and lifestylerelated illnesses. This shift in disease patterns is not unique to Kashmir, but the region’s fragile infrastructure and limited resources make the impact more severe. The valley’s health system, already strained by geography and political instability, now faces the daunting task of addressing both traditional and modern health challenges simultaneously.

Infrastructure growth has been one of the most visible responses to these challenges. Over the past decade, new hospitals have been built, district facilities upgraded, and medical colleges established. The promise of flagship projects such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Kashmir has raised expectations of a modernized system capable of meeting the valley’s needs. Publicprivate partnerships have introduced diagnostic centers, telemedicine services, and mobile health units, offering new avenues of care in remote districts. These initiatives have begun to bridge the gap between Srinagar’s urban hospitals and the farflung villages of Kupwara, Kulgam, and Bandipora. Yet progress remains uneven. Urban centers benefit from advanced facilities, while rural communities often lack even basic diagnostic equipment. Delays in major projects have further frustrated expectations, leaving many to wonder whether infrastructure alone can solve the crisis.

Policy reforms have added another dimension to the changing scenario. The rollout of Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana has extended insurance coverage to thousands of families, making treatments that were once financially devastating suddenly accessible. For many households, this has meant relief from the fear of medical bankruptcy and a renewed sense of trust in public healthcare. Universal health coverage remains a distant goal, but awareness campaigns, maternal health programs, and immunization drives have improved outcomes, particularly for women and children. The challenge lies in ensuring that these benefits reach the most marginalized communities, especially in conflictaffected zones where trust in institutions is fragile. In places where violence and uncertainty have eroded confidence in governance, even the bestdesigned schemes struggle to achieve their intended impact.

Mental health has emerged as perhaps the most pressing yet least addressed issue in Kashmir’s health scenario. Decades of unrest have left deep psychological scars, and anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder affect large sections of society. Services remain inadequate, with only a handful of psychiatrists serving millions, and stigma prevents many from seeking help. Community groups and nongovernmental organizations have stepped in to provide counseling and support, but the scale of the crisis demands systemic intervention. Mental health in Kashmir is not simply a medical issue; it is intertwined with identity, resilience, and survival, and its neglect threatens to undermine broader health reforms. Without a serious commitment to mental health, the valley’s efforts to improve physical health outcomes will remain incomplete.

Human resources remain the missing link in this evolving picture. Infrastructure and policy reforms cannot succeed without skilled professionals to deliver care, yet Kashmir faces a severe shortage of doctors, nurses, and paramedics, particularly in rural districts. Specialists in oncology, cardiology, and neurology are scarce, forcing patients to travel long distances or seek treatment outside the region. The phenomenon of brain drain compounds the problem, as many trained professionals migrate to other states or abroad in search of better opportunities. Efforts to expand medical education through new colleges and training programs are promising, but retention remains a challenge. Without a strategy to keep talent within the valley, the gap between infrastructure and service delivery will persist. The mismatch between growing infrastructure and limited manpower is one of the most critical obstacles to building a resilient health system.

The human dimension of these changes is visible in everyday lives. Families that once faced financial ruin due to medical expenses now find relief through insurance schemes. Patients who previously traveled hundreds of kilometers for treatment can now access services closer to home. Yet others continue to struggle with the absence of specialists, the delays in flagship projects, and the lack of mental health support. These contrasting experiences highlight the paradox of Kashmir’s health scenario: progress in affordability and infrastructure, but persistent gaps in accessibility and specialized care. For every success story of a family spared financial hardship, there is another of a patient waiting months for specialized treatment or a community left without adequate mental health support.

The future of healthcare in Kashmir depends on addressing these contradictions. Infrastructure growth, insurance coverage, and policy reforms have created a foundation, but without tackling manpower shortages, mental health, and preventive care, progress will remain incomplete. A multipronged approach is needed, one that strengthens medical education and retention, accelerates flagship projects, invests in preventive health campaigns to tackle noncommunicable diseases, expands mental health services with communitybased interventions, and bridges the urbanrural divide through telemedicine and mobile health units. Such measures would not only improve health outcomes but also restore trust in institutions and create a more resilient system. Preventive care, in particular, must become a priority, as the rising tide of lifestyle diseases cannot be stemmed by treatment alone.

The changing health scenario in Kashmir is ultimately a story of promise tempered by reality. It reflects the struggles of a people caught between tradition and modernity, conflict and peace, despair and hope. Yet it also offers a vision of healing — of a valley where hospitals hum with activity, where families no longer fear medical bankruptcy, and where mental health is treated with the seriousness it deserves. As Kashmir navigates its complex sociopolitical realities, the health sector stands as both a mirror and a beacon. It mirrors the challenges of a society striving to recover from decades of turmoil, and it serves as a beacon of resilience, transformation, and the enduring quest for wellbeing.

The increasing number of diseases in Kashmir is not merely a medical statistic; it is a reflection of the valley’s changing social fabric, its evolving lifestyles, and its ongoing struggles. Addressing this challenge requires more than infrastructure and policy; it requires empathy, commitment, and a vision that places human wellbeing at the center of development. Only then can Kashmir move from crisis to recovery, from burden to resilience, and from despair to hope.

The author is a senior analyst and can be mailed at m.hanief@gmail.com

X/Twitter: @haniefmha