The surprise visit of the Chief Minister to the GMC Jammu is a message to the rest of Cabinet colleagues for making regular field visits for better assessment of ground situation. Her expression of disapproval of sanitary and other conditions in this prestigious GMC and Hospital speaks volumes and we need not elaborate on that as we have been repeatedly bringing these woes of the public to the notice of the Government. Suspension order of the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital may work as deterrent to the truant doctors and members of paramedical staff for some time but the malaise is deeper. The Chief Minister has paved the way for other ministers to follow her line. If they also make on-spot surprise visits, they will come to know the big gap that exists between what they say or hear in the assembly and what the actual ground situation is. People in general have welcomed her surprise visit believing that this precedence will be taken up by other members of the Council of Ministers and then the culture of tidying up things around in departments would be a reality. However, this atmosphere should not get evaporated with one or two surprise visits and then the old rut begins once again. The question is of fostering the culture of neatness and cleanliness in all places and especially in hospitals where the chances of vulnerability to airborne and waterborne disease are greater. Why we should not be having a flying squad charged with the duty of making rounds on regular basis in different jurisdictions and reporting on the general atmosphere in public institutions like hospitals, schools, and training centres etc. as part of national monitoring schemes.
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