Falling Deaths, Failing System: Jammu Kashmir’s Healthcare Paradox

By Khushi Tyagi | Jammu

The healthcare situation in Jammu & Kashmir is increasingly portrayed as one of success stories. The Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Ratio have been pointed out as the evidence of progress made. Since it seems that there are only 14 deaths among babies for every 1,000 births, and the Maternal Mortality Ratio stands close to 47 deaths among women for every 100,000 births, this picture might seem rather promising, even impressive.

However, such an interpretation is somewhat misleading. Because as soon as the focus shifts beyond those few statistics, the real picture becomes clear.

It is vital to note that reduction in mortality is indeed a sign of improvement. However, this is no guarantee of a good healthcare system. Survival does not equal success. Statistics provided by the NFHS-5 show that almost 27% of children in the state suffer from stunting, 19% of kids are wasted, and more than 70% of children are anemic. These numbers indicate a severe public health problem. It might be the case that more children are alive than before. Nevertheless, many of them suffer from malnutrition and lack physical wellbeing.

The issue is further complicated by the question of access. The healthcare system of Jammu & Kashmir does not have universal reach but rather is erratic, disjointed, and heavily dependent on location. Areas like Jammu and Srinagar do enjoy better medical services than others in the region but beyond these hubs, the healthcare situation worsens significantly. Access to healthcare in rural areas is defined by several factors, including distance, lack of skilled professionals, and poor infrastructure. Many primary health centers work with vacancies, under-equipped facilities, and overstretched staff.

Moreover, even when medical facilities are present, continuity and reliability cannot be guaranteed due to the difficult conditions in which the healthcare system operates in Jammu & Kashmir. Factors such as the rugged terrain, adverse weather, and infrastructural deficiencies regularly disrupt medical services and prevent a patient from obtaining proper healthcare at regular intervals. In other words, continuity, one of the critical aspects of any healthcare system, continues to remain weak.

Nevertheless, there remains the illusion of success in Jammu & Kashmir despite all the structural failings. This is mainly due to the tendency of the policy evaluation process to rely on what is easily measurable. There are reduced levels of mortality, which are emphasized; there is an increase in institutional delivery rates, which are also emphasized. However, other equally important metrics such as malnutrition, quality of healthcare, trained staff presence, and patient experiences have been ignored. The end result is that any numerical improvement is viewed as real improvement.

The danger lies in the fact that incremental improvement may be mistaken for revolution. Partial success begins to replace reform, and the emphasis is placed on sustaining positive metrics rather than addressing the core problem. With time, the system can begin to normalize inequalities in the healthcare sector.

In essence, Jammu & Kashmir faces a strange dilemma. There are improvements being seen in mortality rates, but not in general health status. There are discrepancies in access to healthcare, in the quality of the healthcare services provided, and in malnutrition problems. The system is not failing; yet, it is not revolutionizing either.

The difficulty here is realizing the disparity between perception and reality. For as long as the decrease in mortality figures is taken as proof enough of successful implementation, the larger, underlying problems will persist untouched. In assessing the health care system, the ability not only to save lives but also improve their quality should be considered.

In Jammu & Kashmir, the issue is not a lack of commitment or desire. Rather, it is the need for a change in priorities—from an outcome-oriented process to a systemic approach. For without such a change, there will be no real success in the development of health care in Jammu & Kashmir. There will only be the illusion created by numbers. After all, the ultimate aim of an efficient health care system is not merely the survival of individuals but their ability to lead healthy lives.