Advisor to Governor, K Vijay Kumar today convened a meeting with senior officers of Health department to discuss the action plan to improve the healthcare facilities being provided to the people at the various government health institutions in the state.The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Health Atal Dulloo, along with his team including Director Health Services Jammu Dr Sameer Mattoo, MD NHM Bhupinder Kumar, Commissioner Food Safety Kabir Dar, Principal GMC Jammu, Principal Dental College Jammu, Director Finance H&ME, Director ISM, Director Aids Control Society, Controller Drug and Food Control Organization, various HODs, Medical Superintendents of Govt Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Sarwal and all CMOs of Jammu division.During the meeting, deliberate discussions were made on developing a plan or chalk out a future course of action to bring improvement in healthcare services by way of ensuring upgraded health infrastructure in place, effective management of existing human resource and removing shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, capacity building of doctors/paramedic staff and other important initiatives which should be taken immediately to address the core issue.
Various important issues related to strengthening the health department were discussed in detail and suggestions/inputs were also sought from the participants to further bring positive and visible changes in the present health scenario of the state.The participants gave their suggestions with regard to redressal of service and welfare issues of doctors and other staff of health department, restructuring of the department, rationalization of existing manpower in the department, making all the health institutions fully functional, successful conduct of Mental Health/Drug De-addiction programme in J&K, management of human resource, adoption of IT enables services, proposal of establishment of Medical University and improving/making the Trauma Centres at National Highway fully functional.While discussing the status of court cases pending in different courts, the Advisor stressed on regularly following them. He asked for getting deputed more officers from the Law department for strengthening the Law wing of the department.MD NHM briefed the chair about the activities/programmes being conducted in the state to supplement the health services provided by the state government.
He was being asked to look into the issues raised during the meeting that can be resolved at their end and to effectively coordinate with the health department to achieve better results on ground.Besides, brief discussion was also held on making the Trauma centres fully functional by putting in man power and required machinery/equipment.Addressing the officers and doctors, the Advisor said that the Health department is a priority sector for the government and we should have clear focus ensuring best possible services to its people through a network of government Healthcare Institutions. I appreciate the efforts of the department and especially the medical fraternity for performing their duties in professional manner but there is always a scope for improvement in any field for which dedicated efforts need to be undertaken with effective planning and dedication, he added.He said that very soon, 1000 doctors would be recruited which will surely help in improving the health facilities at various levels.He assured the meeting that the redressal of service/welfare related issues of officers and medical staff would be on the priority of the government for which necessary steps would be taken accordingly.