Jammu and Kashmir is all set to become the first state in North India to implement Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) - Child Health Screening and Early Intervention Services in all the districts under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).The implementation process of the scheme was reviewed today by the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shabir Ahmed Khan at a high level officers meeting of Health Department held here today.Addressing the meeting, the Minister said that RBSK is a new initiative undertaken by the Union Health Ministry and is aimed at screening children from 0 to 18 years for 4 Ds - defects at birth, diseases, deficiencies and development delays including disabilities. He said Children diagnosed with illnesses would receive follow up including surgeries at tertiary level, free of cost under NRHM.The Minister said that the Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has been requested to launch the scheme formally in Jammu and Kashmir. "We must ensure that the implementation process is completed as per the deadline set by the department so that the programme is launched as per the schedule", the minister directed the concerned officers.
He said it is the sincere efforts and intervention of State government and Union Health Minister, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad that Jammu and Kashmir is among few and the only state in North India to be in a position to implement the scheme in all the districts. The Government is keen to ensure that the benefit of the scheme reaches to the needy people across the state and in this direction we have been ensured all possible financial help", he said. Expressing gratitude to the union Health Minister, Mr. Khan said that the health sector in Jammu and Kashmir has entered into a new phase of revolution and it is the endure of the coalition government in the state to ensure healthcare facilities at the doorstep of not only the urban but even to the population living in the rural and inaccessible areas. The meeting was informed that the District Health Societies across the state have already taken up the process to implement the scheme in their respective districts. In this regard almost all the District Societies have set the recruitment process in motion and same is expected to be completed by mid of this month.
It was further told that under the new initiative a total of 773 posts, including AYUSH doctors, ANMs etc have been sanctioned under NRHM and the state government has already received the funds over Rs 17 crore from the Centre. The scheme will be implemented through dedicated mobile health teams placed in every medical block of the state. The teams will carry out screening of all children in the pre-school age enrolled at Anganwadi centres at least twice a year besides screening of all children studying in Government and Government aided schools, whereas the newborns will be screened for birth defects in health facilities by service providers and during the home visits by ASHAs.Nodal Officer, RBSK on the occasion presented a power point presentation on the guidelines of the implementation of RBSK, for free healthcare of children of the State.While reviewing the district and block wise performance of the health institutions of Jammu pision, the Health Minister called upon the health functionaries to explore every possibility to provide better Medicare to the people.He said that focus is being laid to strengthen the existing health institutions, particularly in far-off areas to ensure best possible medicare facilities to the people of these areas.
Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Mr. Gazanfar Hussain, Director Indian System of Medicines, Dr. Abdul Kabeer, Mission Director, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Dr. Yash Pal Sharma, Director Health Services, Jammu, B.S. Pathnia, Director Family Welfare, Dr. Baldev Sharma, Controller Drugs and Food Control Organization, Satish Gupta, Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents of all Districts, besides other senior officers of Health Department attended the meeting. Minister highlighted the need for reducing Neonatal and Infant Mortality rates in the state by taking concrete health care measures. He stressed upon the concerned authorities to reach out at grassroots level for better implementation of NRHM, which guarantees to provide quality health care facilities to those in rural areas. He underscored the need to focus on decreasing the neonatal mortality by improving the facility based and home based new-born care.
Mission Director, NRHM, Director, ISM, Director Health Services, Jammu gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the occasion detailing status of various programmes of the Health Department.
Khan also took stock of the status of drug supply to the hospitals of Jammu province and reviewed progress on the implementation of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and stroke (NPCDCS), National Programme for Healthcare of Elderly (NPHCE) in Jammu pision, besides civil works and utilization of funds provided under various centrally sponsored schemes. He also reviewed the working of Indian System of Medicine Department and stressed upon the concerned functionaries to ensure all possible treatment facilities to the desired patients visiting to these hospitals free of cost. Mission Director, NRHM, Director Indian Systems of Medicines and Director Health Services, Jammu gave power point presentations on physical and financial achievements registered under State and Centre plans for delivering quality healthcare facilities to the people of the State.