Jammu: Minister for Health and Medical Education and Social Welfare Sakeena Itoo on Friday reviewed the functioning and implementation of various components of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Jammu and Kashmir, directing officials to ensure optimal utilisation of resources and take time-bound measures to address gaps in public healthcare delivery.
Chairing a comprehensive review meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu, the minister assessed the progress of NHM interventions across various sectors, including public health planning, financial management, availability of human resources, healthcare infrastructure, supply of medicines and essential logistics, diagnostic facilities and patient transport services.
The meeting also reviewed issues related to punctuality among healthcare personnel and the overall functioning of public health institutions.
Emphasising the need to strengthen implementation mechanisms, Itoo said resources allocated under NHM must translate into tangible improvements in healthcare services, particularly at the grassroots level. She directed officers to assess existing shortcomings and ensure the efficient utilisation of financial resources, manpower and available infrastructure.
The minister stressed that there should be no gap between the availability of resources and the delivery of healthcare services, adding that the effectiveness of the mission must be assessed through measurable improvements in public access to healthcare.
She also called for greater accountability and better coordination among departments to improve the functioning of healthcare institutions and ensure the regular availability of essential medicines, diagnostic facilities and other services, particularly in areas where access to healthcare remains a challenge.
Highlighting the need for equitable healthcare delivery, Itoo said residents of remote, far-flung and underserved areas must receive the same attention and quality of medical services as people living in urban centres.
She said the priority should be to make healthcare accessible, affordable and dependable for all, ensuring that geographical and infrastructural limitations do not deprive people of essential medical facilities.
The minister also stressed the need to improve patient transport facilities, maintain punctuality among healthcare personnel and ensure adequate stocks of medicines and the availability of diagnostic services in public health institutions.
Directing officers to follow up on the issues and bottlenecks identified during the meeting, Itoo asked them to formulate appropriate action plans and ensure their timely implementation. She also called for close monitoring of various NHM interventions and fixing responsibility at appropriate levels to ensure accountability and effective service delivery.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Saugat Biswas; Mission Director, NHM J&K, Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan; Director Finance and Director Planning, Health and Medical Education Department; Director Family Welfare and Immunization, J&K; Directors of Health Services, Jammu and Kashmir; and other senior officers of the department.
