Srinagar, Sep 8 : Director of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), M Ashraf Ganie, today underscored the need to revive traditional practices like home-cooked meals, emphasizing that the kitchen serves as both a center of social bonding and a cornerstone of healthy living.

He was speaking at an awareness programme on ‘Endometriosis: A Healthcare Crisis’ organized by the department of obstetrics & gynaecology.
“The revival of traditional practices such as preparing home-cooked meals in a well-set-up kitchen is not only a hub of social discourse but also a critical part of a healthy lifestyle,” he said.
Ashraf said that as the Valley’s premier health institution, SKIMS carries a greater responsibility towards public health and must guide the community with scientifically-backed knowledge and practices through outreach programs and new initiatives.
He announced that SKIMS will soon launch “evening speciality clinics” dedicated to such diseases, aimed at providing focused treatment, advancing research, and developing updated treatment protocols.
Highlighting successful initiatives, he cited the PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) clinic at SKIMS, which addresses non-communicable diseases affecting millions of women nationwide.
Congratulating the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology for organizing the awareness programme, Ashraf called Endometriosis a “benign malignancy” with devastating impact on women’s health, and stressed the role of schools, colleges, and teachers in spreading awareness.
Principal of SKIMS Medical College, Fazal Q. Parray, urged greater government funding for benign and non-communicable diseases, which he termed “more devastating than malignancies.” He further emphasized that women’s health, as the cornerstone of society, deserves heightened focus and investment.
Yasmeen Farooq, Principal, Government College for Women, advocated for holding more such awareness programmes in colleges, highlighting the critical role of educators in sensitizing young women. She further emphasized that women’s health, her pain, and her needs must not be brushed under the carpet, urging that greater priority be accorded to women’s healthcare.