Srinagar, Aug. 30 -- Noor Ahmad, 58, of Kulgam, arrived at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar on a frigid November morning, carrying his wife, Shabana, who had been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.

The roads from his village were icy and treacherous. By the time they reached the hospital, before sunrise, the corridors were already crowded.

IV poles teetered in narrow passageways. Patients leaned against walls. Families whispered in anxious tones. Every available seat was taken.

"This is the only place where serious treatment is available," Noor said. "Every time we come, it feels like we are fighting for a spot, not for care."

Residents of South Kashmir routinely make long journeys to SKIMS for serious ...