Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar, today convened a meeting to review palliative healthcare in District Hospitals across Jammu and Kashmir.Among others, Mission Director, National Health Mission, J&K, Choudhary Mohammad Yasin, Directors Health Services Jammu and Kashmir and Principals of all the Government Medical Colleges besides other senior officers attended the meeting.
After threadbare discussion, Secretary directed for training of at least 4 Medical Officers and 4 Nurses in Certified Course in Essentials of Palliative Care (CCEPC) from each district who will further act as District Resource Persons as well as care givers for Palliative Care.Secretary asked both the Directors to ensure that the training is completed within a period of one month besides making sure OPD and IPD services for Palliative Care in all the District Hospitals of J&K.
He instructed the Principals GMC Jammu and Srinagar to take necessary steps for creation of both the GMCs as centers of excellence for Palliative Care.Secretary also asked Mission Director NHM to increase the capacity of resource persons for training of ASHAs, FMPHWs and MLHPs on Palliative Care who shall become the healthcare providers in the peripheries and also act as an important link between the patients and Palliative Care Centers.He directed for providing requisite funds for training in Palliative Care to both the GMCs and Directorates of Health Services through NHM.