Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat along with Members of Jammu Chamber of Commerce & Industries today felicitated the team of doctors of GMC, Jammu for launching the corneal transplantation surgery in GMC.At a glittering function organized by the Chamber of Commerce & Industries at Chamber House here today, the team comprising, Prof. & Head Ophthalmology Department, Dinesh Gupta, Dr. Sanjay Kai, Associate Professor, Dr. Anjali Manhas, Medical Officer and Mrs. Urmil, Nurse were honoured for their rear achievement. The corneal transplantation surgery has been started in the GMC under the supervision of Dr. Dinesh Gupta for the first time with the personal efforts and motivation by the Health Minister. The Minister complimented the team and wished them success in their future endeavours.President Chamber of Commerce & Industries (CCI), Rakesh Gupta, Principal GMC, Dr. Sunanda Raina, Controller Drugs & Food Control Organization, J&K, Lotika Khajuria, Sr. Vice President, CCI, Rajesh Gupta, General Secretary Manish Gupta, prominent business tycoons, doctors and other Members of the CCI were present on the occasion.Appreciating the gesture of the CCI for honouring the team of doctors for their feat, the Minister said that the initiative will go a long way in encouraging others to improve in their fields. He also lauded the achievement of the doctors and said that a new era for transplantation of human organs in GMC, Jammu has begun. He said the process of starting renal transplantation and other alike surgeries in GMC and Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu has also been initiated and necessary infrastructural and allied facilities for creating such set ups is in progress. He hoped to start the renal transplantation most probably from mid April this year.
Maintaining that health is the prime focus of the present dispensation, the Minister said that in absence of private sector in the State majority of people are dependent on the government set up. The present set up is inadequate to cater to the increased workload in almost all health institutions across the State and Government has taken several new initiatives to coup up with the situation.Referring to the peculiar situation in emergency of GMC in absence of adequate space, he said that it has been decided to add at least 200 more beds by utilizing the available space along with merging the Chopra Nursing Home with the emergency block. Similarly, to decongest the rush of patients in SMGS Hospital where there is acute shortage of space in Gynae ward and Labor Room, the Minister said that a DPR for adding 100 more beds has been formulated and work will start soon, he asserted. The Minister further said and added that creation of five new medical colleges, two AIIMS, two regional level cancer institutions, one Ayurvedic and one Unani College, construction of exclusive Bone & Joint Hospital at Jammu are some of the major initiatives which will change the overall health scenario in the State. Efforts for filling up of all vacant posts of doctors and para-medics have also stepped up and concerned recruitment agencies have been approached to expedite the process to overcome the paucity of staff, said the Minister.The Minister said that the Governing is contemplating to bring a specific doctors service policy in the State to ensure that the doctors after undergoing training on government seats serve to the State Government. He said that the Government spends a huge sum on the training of a doctor and after getting the job, he/she seeks better options outside the State and even country, with the result the posts remain vacant against which they are appointed and healthcare badly suffers. As a deterrence measure, the government will bring a policy in this regard. In case a doctor after getting government job leaves in mid-way or moves un-authorized outside, he/she will have to remit the amount spent on his/her training to the Government. The government is also considering special incentives for the doctors who serve in the hard areas of the State, said the Minister.