Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) President, Dr G M Mir has said that there is a dire need of pooling and rationalisation of medicos and paramedics in peripheries so as to improve health care services in district hospitals.In a statement to CNS, president Doctors Association Kashmir said that it is quite deplorable that a specialist with expertise is not able to do justice with his or her skills by making them to work where there services are least or not required. “The improper posting of doctors under the political, bureaucratic and administrative influence has led to the degradation of health care services in peripheries which has led poor people to suffer grossly.”
He said that it is better to pool and rationalise the medical & paramedic staff in such a way that the District Hospitals start functioning 24×7 and not present a primitive dispensary look post 4 pm which we are witnessing currently in major district hospitals. “It won’t matter for patients to traverse some more kilometres to avail quality health care in his or her own district, rather than travelling right upto Srinagar during the odd hours.”A senior member of DAK said that the rush to LD Maternity Hospital will only be reduced if District Hospitals are strengthened with specialised staff round the clock which is only possible if we make a pooled roster of doctors and paramedics that will keep District
Hospitals functional during the night also as the sanctioned staff for any district hospitals at this point of time is not adequate to create independent 24×7 duty rosters “On one way Govt and administration is hell bent to check and audit referrals but forgetting the grave issues which remain unaddressed after so much of highlighting by the association.”DAK stressed on the authorities to take into confidence all the stakeholders including public representatives, media fraternity, district administration, civil society groups etc so that they realise the benefits of the pooling mechanism and don’t create impediments which are most often based on vested interests of individuals and groups. (CNS)