Describing the health as a key sector concerning people’s wellbeing, Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today said the government’s focus is to provide prescribed patient care in each category of state’s 4400 health institutions.Winding up discussion on the Demand for Grants of the Health and Medical Education Department and responding to issues raised by the members in the Legislative Assembly, the Minister said strengthening of diagnostic and infrastructural facilities with adequate staff is being flagged as top priority. He said buildings are also being constructed for all health centre’s lacking accommodation.Bali said, manpower and resources always remained the prime concern and challenge for the Government, due to which the desired quality and quantity of services could not be maintained at the grassroots level. He said J&K has a unique topography, scattered population in hilly areas, even with such odds the department has been making constant efforts to improve the services and reaching to every single person to provide this basic facility.For overcoming the paucity of manpower, the Minister said that 656 vacancies (including doctors/specialists) have been referred to the PSC, while 1471 doctors (MBBS/Specialists/AYUSH/Dental) have been engaged under NHM to supplement the services at different levels.Listing the major initiatives taken to give further fillip to the health services, he informed that GoI has sanctioned 2 AIIMS and 5 Medical Colleges in the state.“The work on establishment of 2 AIIMS at Awantipora in Kashmir and Vijaypur in Jammu is being expedited besides, works on all 5 Medical Colleges being established at Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua & Rajouri is in full swing,” he said.He said the Government has created 3375 posts of doctors, faculty members, para-medics and other ministerial staff for the new Colleges and also referred these to the concerned recruitment agencies.Elaborating on the status of these colleges, Bali said that till date, an amount of Rs 54 crore has been utilized on these projects.
“Medical Council of India has enhanced the intake capacity of PG seats from 184 to 251 which is also a significant achievement of the government”, he added.Out of total allocation of Rs 900 crore under PMDP for infrastructure upgradation in existing health institutions, Rs 275 crore has been released during the year 2016-17 and for balance amount of Rs 267.33 crore, 27 new infrastructure projects have been submitted to GoI.To further strengthen the health infra, work on 61 hospital projects out of 113 ongoing projects across the state stands completed during 2016-17., the Minister said adding that similarly, under Capex Budget, works on 62 major projects at an estimated cost of Rs 404.24 crore are under execution, against which, Rs 149.71 crore has been utilized upto ending March, 2017.During the current financial year, an amount of Rs 40.49 crore has been approved for these projects and as many as 7 projects are likely to be completed during the current fiscal, while 15 to be completed in 2018-19. The Minister further informed that work on construction of 2 State level Cancer Institutions at the cost of Rs 120.00 crore each to be established at SKIMS Soura, Srinagar and GMC, Jammu is under execution.To further strengthen the ambulatory network in the state and to procure 136 Basic Life Support (BSL) ambulances, Rs 13.47 crore has been released by GoI.Moreover, the department has also purchased 24 Critical Care Ambulances during 2016-17 which have been pressed into service to provide emergency ambulance services to the people.For strengthening the infrastructure of food laboratories in the state, the government has procured 5 fully equipped Mobile Food Testing Vans during 2017-18.“This significant move has helped the Food Control Organization to undertake testing of food articles in the rural and far-flung areas. These vans have been deployed in twin capital cities to reduce the food adulteration”, he added.
The drug testing laboratories are also being upgraded under central assistance for Rs 12.10 crore has been released; the Minister said adding that the Modern Drug & Food Testing Laboratory at Lakhanpur, Kathua has been proposed to be established through Central Assistance at a cost of Rs 34.00 crore.Bali said that government has strengthened the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL). It has supplied drugs worth Rs 87.02 crore, Machinery & Equipment worth Rs 6.19 crore & other items (Instruments) amounting to Rs 90.00 lakh during 2017-18 besides, purchase orders of drugs for 2018-19 amounting to Rs 59.39 crore has also been issued.Sanitation and hygiene at health institutions remained the priority of the department for which, Sulabh Souchalyas are being setup in the Govt. Medical Colleges and Associated Hospitals of Srinagar, Jammu including District Hospitals of the state on outsourcing basis, he added.Enumerating on some new initiatives, the Minister said that government is contemplating to set up a full-fledged Medical University in the state meet the increasing demand of doctors and other staff.Giving details of other future projects, the Minister said that these projects include; implementation of Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) on PPP mode in 10 districts for which an amount of Rs 2.00 crore has been approved under NHM during the current financial year.Informing the House on the progress of Free Drugs Policy being implemented in the state, the Minister said that as many as 68 drugs for District Hospitals/Community Health Centres, 53 for Primary Health centres, 23 for Sub-centers have been made available for the patients visiting in these hospitals.
The Minister further informed that to augment the health services in the peripheral areas, the department has formulated a proposal for establishing one Model Health Institution in each constituency involving financial implication of Rs 544.98 crore.Referring to the issues of NHM employees who were agitating for some days in support of their demands, the Minister said that the department has resolved all genuine issues amicably. Further to address their issues, the Government will constitute an inter-departmental committee to look after their grievances including their regularization in phased manner.The Government has already taken some important decisions for the welfare of the NHM employees including enhancement of 8% increment, extension of EPF, Accidental Insurance Scheme benefits, paid maternity leave to female employees, paid medical leave for one month etc. The issues like creation of revolving funds to support the kin of NHM employees who die in harness and allied facilities will be examined sympathetically by the Government, he added.Later, the House passes grants worth Rs 352893.46 lakh for the Health and Medical Education department with voice vote.Earlier, several members participated in the discussion on grants and raised their concerns regarding further strengthening the health sector in the state. They include Mian Altaf Ahmad, Vikar Rasool Wani, Choudhary Qamar Hussain, Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar, Mubarak Gul, Pawan Gupta, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, Mohammad Amin Bhat, Dina Nath Bhagat, Abid Hussain Ansari, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Choudhary Mohammad Akram, Rajiv Sharma, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Javid Hussain Beigh, Usman Abdul Majid, Ishfaq Jabbar, Bashir Ahmad Dar, G M Saroori, Dr Devinder Manyal, Shah Mohammad Tantray, Krishan Lal, Altaf Ahmad Wani, Asgar Ali Karbalai, R S Pathania, Abdul Majid Paddar, Abdul Majid Larmi, Raja Manzoor, Abdul Rahim Rather and Syed Farooq Andrabi.
HIGHLIGHTS
· 4433 Govt Health Institutions functioning across JK, providing 7882 beds capacity in Primary & Secondary and 5083 in Tertiary Care institutions
· 80,000 patients arrive at the OPDs of J&K’s hospitals everyday
· 970 posts of Medical Officers, 1291 non-gazetted posts referred to recruiting agencies
· 1471 additional manpower including Specialists, MBBS, AYUSH doctors engaged under NHM in the state
· Medical Council of India enhanced 67 PG seats in 2016-17, raising the number from 184 to 251
· GoI sanctioned 5 new Medical Colleges at Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua & Rajouri
· Rs 197.53 Cr released for taking up the construction work of 5 new Medical Colleges
· 3375 posts of Faculty Members, Doctors, paramedical and other staff sanctioned, referred to concerned recruitment agencies
· Works on establishment of 2 AIIMS being expedited, spade work of several important components completed
· JK ranked 1st in country to reduce 8 points under IMR in a single year (2014-2015) (34-26)
· Under construction 2 new 200-bedded Maternity Hospitals each in Jammu & Srinagar at final stage, likely to be made functional in 2018
· 2 Cancer Institute’s and Tertiary Cancer Care Centres sanctioned at a cost of Rs 120 Cr each to be established at SKIMS, Soura & GMC, Jammu
· GoI sanctioned 3 Tertiary Cancer Care Centres at Udhampur, Kishtwar & Kupwara at the cost of Rs 45 crore each
· 10 more ANM/GNM schools being established in uncovered areas at a cost of Rs 23.56 Cr under Phase-II
· 136 BLS Ambulances purchased amounting to Rs 13.47 crore
· 5 fully equipped Mobile Food Testing Vans purchased in 2017-18
· Rs 6 crore released for strengthening existing Food Testing Labs, Rs 12 Cr released for up-gradation of Food Testing Labs
· Modern Drug & Food Testing Lab at Lakhanpur, Kathua to be established worth Rs 34 crore
· 2 Food Safety Appellate Tribunals, one each in Kashmir, Jammu established with creation of 20 posts of various categories
· 24 Special New Born Care Units set up in 20 District Hospitals
· 90% works completed on Govt Ayurvedic Medical College-cum-Hospital at Sangani, Akhnoor worth Rs 25.80 crore
· 80% works on Govt Unani Medical College-cum-Hospital at Ganderbal stands completed at cost of Rs 32.50 crore
· 1st batch of BAMS Course commenced from 2017-18 with 50 students
· 30 Dispensaries (16 in Jammu, 14 in Kashmir) under execution
· Under NABARD, 10 projects worth Rs 3.51 Cr under execution
· Establishment of Medical University on anvil
· Eye Bank made functional at Srinagar, to be made functional at Jammu soon
· DPR formulated for setting up of Bone & Joint Hospital at Jammu
· State level Football tournament “Khelo Sehat Ke Liye” organized
· 1 Model Health Institution proposed to be established in each constituency
· 10 Nursing Colleges in different districts proposed at a cumulative cost of Rs 30 Cr
· Two bullet proof ambulances to be procured to meet the exigency during cross border firing
· Department to look into the issue of re-organization of Medical blocks