SKIMS Upgrades All 14 Wards with ICUs, HDUs to Improve Patient Care

Mansoor Peer
Comments 0
01 May 2026

Upgrades worth Rs 15 crore cover multiple facilities in the Institute: Officials

Srinagar, Apr 30: All fourteen wards at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences now have separate intensive care units, high dependency units, and other facilities to avoid any inconvenience to patients.

“SKIMS has taken several key decisions to strengthen patient care. Every ward will be equipped with a mini–Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU) to ensure that critically ill patients are not required to be shifted outside their wards,” Director SKIMS, Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie told reporters after inaugurating high-end medical instruments procured over the past three months.

The director said for this purpose, the institute has procured infusion pumps, monitors, defibrillators, and ventilators, which will be installed across all the 40 wards.

Prof. Ganie said in addition, diagnostic facilities such as ultrasound, X-ray, ECG, and EEG machines will be made available on every floor so that patients do not have to move between floors, thereby minimizing inconvenience.

He said that the procurement of these instruments has been completed and the installation process is underway. He emphasized the institute’s continued commitment to adopting cutting-edge technology and improving treatment outcomes.

The upgraded facilities, developed at an approximate cost of Rs 15 cr span multiple departments and are expected to benefit patients requiring critical care, complex surgeries, and management of chronic and life-threatening conditions.

Highlighting the importance of continuous modernization, Prof. Ganie stated that integrating advanced technologies will significantly improve diagnostic accuracy, surgical precision, and overall healthcare delivery.

In critical care and general medicine, facilities such as portable isolation units for kidney transplant patients, advanced neonatal care warmers, and amplitude EEG machines have been introduced.

The nephrology department has been strengthened with hemodiafiltration machines, while departments like neurosurgery, plastic surgery, and emergency services have been equipped with advanced operative chairs and tools.

A notable addition is the complete 3D 4K visualization tower, which will enhance kidney transplants, laparoscopic procedures, microsurgery, and open surgeries.

The anaesthesiology department has received fibre optic bronchoscopes with monitoring and recording facilities, while the cardiothoracic surgery wing now features ultra-high-definition laparoscopic imaging systems.

Operation theatres have also been upgraded with high-precision surgical lights, binocular loupes, and portable X-ray machines, ensuring improved surgical outcomes and patient safety.

In addition to departmental upgrades, SKIMS has invested approximately Rs 9.3 crore in hospital-wide services, including ECG machines, centrifuges, IT infrastructure, computer workstations, printers, scanners, modular monitors, photocopying systems etc.

Officials said this comprehensive upgrade marks another milestone in SKIMS’ ongoing efforts to modernize healthcare facilities and meet the growing medical needs of the population.