JKFGDE demands financial support for private dental practitioners

SRINAGAR: The J&K Federation of Gazetted Dental Employees (JKFGDE) has sought urgent attention of Lieutenant Governor G.C. Murmu regarding the prevailing situation of dental fraternity in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in light of guidelines regarding COVID-19.

The federation said that private dental practitioners are among the most affected professionals and sought financial support for the practitioners from the government so as to cope up with the situation for the better patient care of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

In Jammu and Kashmir, private dental practitioners are many times more than in government sector. Vast number of patients are treated by private dental practitioners. The livelihood of these practitioners has been drastically hit in this trying situation.

Neither has government taken any steps for providing discounted logistics, PPE's and other essential items on prioritized basis nor has been any financial aid provided to them till now. Many of the private dental practitioners who have taken loans from banks are in a fix in this crisis.

The government has not appointed any dental surgeon from the past 10 years. This has increased the burden on already insufficient manpower of dental fraternity in Jammu and Kashmir.

The president of federation demanded financial support from the Lieutenant Governor's administration in favour of the private dental practitioners at the earliest so as to safeguard the future of dentistry in Jammu and Kashmir.