Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat reviewed the status of implementation of Free Drug Policy and other diagnostic facilities in the government health institutions to be implemented in the State from Ist June, 2016 at a high-level meeting of officers held here today.Several issues related to smooth implementation of the policy vis-a-viz availability of funds and procurement of drugs and other diagnostic material were discussed in detail and the Minister directed the concerned to clear all the bottlenecks at the earliest so that this prestigious policy was implemented in letter and spirit. He directed the officers to work out the details of requirements and put the same to the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) well in time enabling it to procure and supply accordingly.
The issues related to the procurement of medicines and diagnostic equipments by the JKMSCL were also discussed in detail and the Minister issued instructions to Principals of Government Medical Colleges, Srinagar, Jammu and both the Directors of Health Services to put up their timely annual requirements enabling the Corporation to procure the same in the prescribed time frame.
The Minister stressed the need for launching a vigorous awareness campaign to publicize the components of the Free Drug Policy through the mediums of electronic and print media to educate the general masses about the facilities under the policy. He also called for organizing workshops, seminars for the doctors and paramedics about the features of the scheme to achieve the objective of this important programme. The issues pertaining to the writing of only available medicines in the hospitals by the doctors on prescriptions and auditing of prescriptions issued by the doctors also came under discussion and the Minister urged the Secretary Health & Medical Education to issue the necessary circular instructions in this regard.
Managing Director JKMSCL, Dr. Yashpal Sharma briefed about the functioning of the Corporation and initiatives taken for procurement of medicines and other material for the State hospitals. He informed that the Corporation has procured the consignment of medicines for first quarter of the current financial year and also dispatching the same to the hospitals as per requirements. The process for procurement for rest of the year is in progress.Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr. M.K. Bhandari, Principal GMC, Jammu, Dr. Zahid Geelani, Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr. Baljeet Pathania, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Dr. Mohan Singh, Administrator GMC, Ms. Babila Rakwal were present in the meeting.Later, the Minister inaugurated the newly fabricated cabins in the Government Medical College for the facilities of attendants. The attendants will be able to use these cabins for multiple purposes while in the hospital during the admissions of the patients. The facilities of fans and chairs have been put in place by the administration for the visitors.The idea for creation of waiting slots in the GMC was the brain child of Minister when he initially visited there and observed that the attendants were sitting on ground and eating in open. The similar facilities for the attendants will be created in other hospitals across the State, the Minister observed.