JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today while reviewing the health care scenario of the UT impressed upon the concerned authorities to take meaningful steps for full operationalization of all the major health facilities across the UT.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary, Health besides Director SKIMS; MD, SHA; Principals of all the Medical Colleges; MD, NHM; Director Health Services Kashmir/Jammu; MD, JKMSCL; Director, Family Welfare; Drug Controller and other concerned officers.
During this meeting, Dulloo observed that the UT has one of the best health infrastructure facilities allocated by the centre in the shape of 2 AIIMS, 7 new medical colleges, Nursing Colleges besides other institutions for bringing quality health care services to people here. He stressed on taking concrete steps for making fully functional all such mega health facilities to bring the tertiary care health services nearer the homes of all the J&K residents.
He also enquired from the Principal of each Medical College about the staff strength and those in place among the faculty positions. He emphasised upon filling all the vacancies at the earliest so that patient care does not take a hit there. He even asked for all the machinery and equipment necessary for effective medical care to be provisioned by these health institutions and their status in there.
He advised the Department to take measures for procurement of such machinery, instruments and medicines for each of the health centre so that patients do not have to suffer here. He called for tendering of all the essential drugs in one go as per requirements to evade any possibility of their shortage during the year.
The Chief Secretary directed all the HoDs including the Chief Medical Officers to be in the field most of the time and monitor the delivery of services in their areas. He asked them to check daily the patient load in each of the health facilities and the availability of doctors there. He directed for ensuring that each medical facility in remote areas has sufficient staff available as per the sanctioned strength so that people there are not put into trouble anymore.
Moreover, the Chief Secretary also took note of the functioning of Nursing Colleges here. He maintained that the quality of paramedic staff is equally significant as that of medics and these colleges should endeavour to produce qualified nurses by imparting the best training and education.
Chief Secretary took this occasion to take stock of all the projects under execution here. He asked to complete each of them on time and dedicate them to the public after finishing them in all respects. He advised for resolving all issues faced in the execution of these projects by having better synergy and coordination with each other.
During this meeting, the Secretary of Health & Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar informed the Chief Secretary that under the Universal Health Insurance scheme 10.18 lakh treatments were done valuing Rs 1735 Cr since its inception.
It was further said that Digital interventions such as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Ambulatory services, e-sanjeevani, Tele-Radiology, Telemedicine, Tele-X-Ray, Tele-CT, Scan and Share, Chatbot and Tele-Manas have been accomplished here.
In addition, it was said that the Scan and Share facility for digital patient Queue management has been operationalised in tertiary care and secondary-level health facilities and is also being extended to the next level shortly.
Regarding the availability of health facilities across the UT, it was said that more than 4000 health facilities including mega projects like 2 AIIMS, 2 State Cancer Institutes, 2 Bone & Joint Hospitals, and 7 new Medical Colleges enhance total MBBS Seats to 1300 for a UT with a population of around 1.40 crore is phenomenal and first of its kind in the entire history of J&K.
