Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has re-affirmed his government’s determination to provide better health facilities to the people particularly in far-off and remote villages. He said under a comprehensive and gigantic health consolidation and expansion programme scores of health centres in the villages, sub-districts and districts have been completed and many are in the process of completion.“Besides upgrading and modernizing the health institutions, a mega expansion programme is in offing to ensure health coverage and better medicare facilities to the people across the State”, he said and added that health sector has been focused as one of the most important sectors by the government in the development policy and during last five years it received full attention for improvement and upgradation.
Interacting with the people after inaugurating Rs. 11.83 crore 70-bedded District Hospital at Samba on Friday, the Chief Minister said that coming up of modern health facilities at the district level would not only expand the orbit of health coverage for people but reduce the pressure on the hospitals in cities.The Chief Minister asked the Health and Medical Education Departments to ensure better facilities to the patients in government hospitals and utilize modern equipments provided to the health institutions to extend modern treatment to the patients. He said specialists, doctors and para-medics have been placed in government health institutions besides equipments so that better service delivery is ensured.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Legislators Devender Singh Rana, S. S. Slathia, Yashpal Kundal and Durga Dass and various senior officers.The Chief Minister also met local deputations who brought to his notice different development demands pertaining to their areas and also gave suggestion for expansion of the District Hospital complex Samba.The Chief Minister gave patient hearing to the deputations and said that their genuine demands would be considered duly.