SRINAGAR: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare, Education, Sakeena Masood today instructed the officers to ensure that the existing healthcare facilities are upgraded at all hospitals to meet the aspirations of people.
The Minister made these remarks while chairing a high-level meeting to review the performance and functioning of the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) department at Banquet Hall here.
Secretary H&ME, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; Commissioner Food and Drugs Administration, CEO State Health Agency, Engineer in Chief J&K, Director SKIMS, Director Health Jammu/Kashmir, Director Coordination New Medical Colleges, MD NHM, Director AYUSH, MD JKMSCL, Secretary Technical H&ME, Director Finance H&ME, Director Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization, State Drug Controller, Principals of all GMCs, Principal Dental College Srinagar, Principal Indira Gandhi Dental College Jammu and other senior officers of H&ME department attended the meeting.
During the meeting, the Minister had an in-depth assessment of the department’s performance on ongoing initiatives and infrastructure projects aimed at improving healthcare services across Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the officers, Sakeena Masood impressed upon the officers to ensure that healthcare facilities are upgraded as per the needs of people. She stressed upon the officers to maintain accountability and transparency within the department in order to meet the expectations of the people.
While reviewing the progress of works on various important projects, Sakeena Masood asked the officers to complete these projects timely as they will revolutionise the health sector here rather than starting any new projects. She instructed them to focus on maintaining the quality of work as per the norms required in the medical sector.
“Health and well-being of our people is the top priority of our government,” Sakeena Itoo said, adding that we must work together to build a robust healthcare system that is accessible, efficient and responsive to the needs of our people. She advised both the Directors to organise IEC activities regarding 102 and 108 ambulance services as well as 104 helpline services, especially in rural areas, in order to generate maximum awareness among people.
She urged all officers and other relevant stakeholders to remain focused on delivering quality healthcare and addressing any challenges that may arise. She also asked all the Principals and both the Directors to decrease routine referrals from district and sub-district hospitals to Srinagar. She directed them to fix accountability on hospital administration referring regular patients to Srinagar rather than emergency cases.
While reviewing other aspects of the health sector, the Minister called upon the officers to upgrade facilities at all District and Sub-district hospitals in order to reduce patient flow towards Srinagar hospitals. She called upon all the Principals and Directors to conduct audits of all testing facilities in their respective health institutions and also conduct routine checkups of private diagnostic and lab testing centres in order to address the issue of fixing rates.
She further directed them to establish a concrete mechanism in their respective healthcare facilities regarding checking for spurious drugs being sold there. She also asked them to conduct a prescription audit and submit a report of the same within a weeks time.
While reviewing the Human Resource issues of the department, the Minister called upon the officers to refer all vacant posts to recruiting agencies immediately so that we have the required staff and medical professionals across all healthcare institutes of J&K.
She directed the Secretary of Health to frame a proper transfer policy and take stringent action against those seeking unjustified premature transfers. She also instructed the Secretary of Health to cancel all attachments of doctors done in the last few years and adjust them in areas that have immediate need of doctors.
During the meeting, the Secretary of Health and Medical Education gave a detailed presentation on the performance and functioning of the department.
