Excelsior Correspondent
BARAMULLA, Sept 3: Minister for Health and Medical Education, ARI and Trainings, Choudhary Lal Singh today said that healthcare for elderly or senior citizens would be the topmost priority for the Government.
Speaking at a one day conference organised by Jammu and Kashmir Pensioners and Senior Citizens Association here today, the Minister said Government plans to do something “productive” and “positive” for the elderly population of the State.
“Your services will be remembered and providing healthcare will be our top most priority. You should be able to get the free treatment in all the Government run hospitals,” he said adding “You are going to witness the change for yourself. There will be separate OPDs and separate counters for you (elderly).”
Mr. Singh was flanked by Minister for Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, Relief and Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari and MLA Baramulla, Javaid Hassan Beigh.
The Minister also directed the Director Health Services, Kashmir to make necessary arrangements for providing quality and free healthcare to the elderly population of the Valley.
He said that his Department is working on the move that five districts would be adopted under National Programme for Care of Elderly (NPCE), in which the main hospitals will have to provide quality and free healthcare treatment for the elderly population of the state. The districts include Kupwara, Anantnag, Leh, Udhampur, Doda.
“The scheme will be stretched to the entire State in a phased manner,” the Minister said.
The Minister later announced that Rs 1.23 crore will be released for the development of the District Hospital Baramulla. He also directed Director Health Services Kashmir to release Rs 50 lakh for the Trauma Hospital, Pattan and Rs 50 lakh for the development of the Tarzu-Sopore hospital.
Earlier the Association presented two memoranda to which the Ministers assured that timely intervention will be made and their demands will be met. The Association demanded that Senior Citizens Act should be implemented in letter and spirit.
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