Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today reviewed the functioning of Government Medical Colleges, Dental Colleges and all associated hospitals at a high-level meeting held here today and called for initiating innovative reforms to further enlarge the healthcare services in these Tertiary Healthcare Centres.Besides Commissioner/Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Principals of Medical and Dental Colleges, Kashmir, Jammu, MD, JK Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd (JKMSCL), Director Finance, H&ME, Joint Director Planning and Medical Superintendents of all the Associated Hospitals were present in the meeting.During the marathon review, the Minister received detailed account of all the essential services including, availability of manpower, diagnostic facilities, medicines, infrastructure, sanitation, parking space, implementation of various decisions taken in previous meetings and futuristic up-gradation plans to cater to the increased flow of patients and ensuring efficient patient care.
He emphasized the need for plugging all the gaps and initiating necessary and timely steps to further augment the services. He directed for a well coordinated approach and improving the monitoring mechanism to achieve tangible results on ground.On the issue of paucity of manpower, the Minister directed the heads of departments to refer all the vacant posts of different categories to the concerned recruitment agencies and vigorously pursuing these for filling on fast-track basis. He also directed for conducting regular DPCs to fill up promotional quota posts so that the patient care does not suffer. He also directed for revision of obsolete rules of some categories enabling promotion of employees.To ensure availability of adequate stock of medicines and other health related material in the hospitals, it was decided that all the heads of institutions will put in their requirement before the JKMSCL by 30th of June every year and utilize 25 per cent budgetary allocation on meeting the emergency needs.
The Minister also called for paying focused attention on sanitation part and directed for hiring the services of Sulabh International which is a professional agency in the field. He also stressed for undertaking complete face lifting of premises of hospitals with necessary landscaping of ideal land to ensure healthy environment in and around the hospitals. For the facilities of patients and attendants, he directed for creating more facilities in the hospitals like setting up of inquiry counters, PAS system, waiting cabins, canteen service etc.In the interest of patient care, the Minister directed the Principals GMCs to explore possibilities for making available the services of senior consultants of different specializations, particularly the Ortho and Surgery round the clock in the hospitals as a large number of emergency cases are reporting during the off hours. He also urged for working out the modalities for starting the evening OPDs in prominent hospitals to facilitate the patients.