Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat has reviewed the overall health scenario of district Jammu at a high-level meeting held at Gandhi Nagar Hospital here today.Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta, Minister of State for Education & Tourism, Priya Sethi and legislators Dr Krishan Lal Bhagat and Vikram Randhawa were also present in the meeting.At the outset of the meeting, the Minister welcomed the Speaker and legislators for sparing their valuable time to participate in the meeting which was convened to seek their valuable inputs with regard to the functioning of health institutions falling in their respective jurisdictions. He apprised that all legislators from Jammu district were specifically invited in the meeting to get their feedback on the status of health activities in their areas and measures required to improve them further, but due to their pre-occupation the other concerned legislators could not participate.The Speaker, the MoS and legislators shared their inputs on the functioning of health intuitions in their areas and suggested several measures to further upgrade the services. The issues related to the availability of medicines, equipment, manpower, sanitation, filling up the posts of class-IV and Safai Karmcharies and proper functioning of Solar Lights etc were prominently figured and discussed.
Kavinder Gupta called for upgradation of Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, upgradation of CT Scan machine in Gandhi Nagar hospital, starting the facilities of Dialysis and upgradation of Labour Room etc. He said the Gandhi Nagar hospital being an important institution that caters huge rush of patients needs to be strengthened as per its capacity so that the patients of Gandhi Nagar and peripheral areas may not go to Government Medical College for availing medical facilities. He expressed happiness that new building of 200-bedded Gandhi Nagar hospital is at the final stage and shortly will be handed over to the department which will help in handling the increased rush of patients.Priya Sethi suggested more transparency in the functioning of hospitals and called for highlighting all achievements and facilities available in the hospitals on the department website for the information of commoners. She prominently highlighted the flagship programme of Government of India namelyPradhan Mantra Surakshit Matritva Abhyan (PMSMA), Rashtrya Bal Surksha Karyakaram and their effective implementation on ground so that their benefits percolate down to the needy beneficiaries. She also called for streamlining the functioning of blood banks, creation of organ donation bank in Government Medical College.
Dr. Krishan Lal Bhagat highlighted the deficiencies in his area and demanded upgradation of infrastructural faculties in main health institutions of Khour block. He said the entire block is a border and far-flung area that needs to be given due attention. The issues which were prominently highlighted by the MLA included adequate supply of medicines, operationalization of theatre, functioning of Solar System, shortage of x-ray material, installation of Ultra Sound machine and detachment of staff.While appreciating the concern of the legislators, the Health Minister assured them to attend the flagged issues on priority. He urged them to provide him ground feedback on regular basis so that all deficiencies are removed. He issued necessary instructions to the Director health Services, CMO, Jammu and concerned BMOs to put in their best efforts to address the highlighted issues on priority. He directed the CMO and BMOs to conduct regular field visits to get feedback about the health facilities and plugging the gaps, if any on priority basis. He also directed for efficient implementation of all flagship programmes of Government of India at the grassroot level to achieve the objective of these schemes.
The Minister issued on-the-spot instructions to the BMOs to submit the report with regard to the defunct Solar Systems and other important diagnostic equipments to the Director Health Services on priority so that an appropriate action could be taken. He also directed for referring all posts of Class-IV and Safai Karamcharies to the Directorate immediately so that they are filled on fast-track basis.He called for paying focused attention for ensuring proper sanitation in all health institutions, punctuality, maintenance of duty roaster, dress code, audit inspection of doctors’ prescriptions, installation of water purifiers and other basic facilities for the patients, curbing the practice of unnecessary referral of cases to tertiary hospitals. He directed for devising an efficient mechanism to curb this practice, particular from such institutions where the services of particular disciplines are available. He warned for a stern action against the delinquents who shirk their duties.
Taking serious note of poor performance of district Jammu in the important National Immunization Programme, the Minister directed the CMO and other concerned to make serious efforts to achieve the targets in full. He called for a coordinated approach and devising a well-knit strategy to achieve the targets under the Indira Danush Programme. Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Secretary Technical & Director Indian System of Medicines, Dr. Abdul Kabir Dar, Director Family Welfare, Dr. Sameer Mattoo, Director Health Services, Dr. Gurjeet Singh Soodan, Managing Director, JKMSCL, Inderjeet Bhagat, Additional Secretary Health, K.S. Chib, Joint Director Planning, Madan Lal, Deputy Director Health, Dr. Chander Prakash, Chief Medical Officer, Jammu, Dr. Sanjay Turki, Medical Superintendent, G.N. Hospital, Dr. ADS Manhas, BMOs and other senior officers of the health department were present in the meeting.