Govt okays funds for Skill Lab at GMC Sgr; upgrades SC Khurhama to NTPHC

Irfan Tramboo

SRINAGAR, Dec 4: The Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department today sanctioned the release of Rs 1.5 crore for the establishment of the Skill Lab at the Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar. It also accorded sanction to the up-gradation of the Sub-Centre (SC) Khurhama in North Kashmir’s Kupwara to the level of New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) along with the creation of two more posts.
As per details, sanction has been accorded to the advance drawl of Rs 1.25 cr available under Capex Budget 2022-23 of ‘Government Medical College Srinagar Sector’, by the Principal, GMC, Srinagar for Establishment of Skill lab in GMC Srinagar as per MCI Norms. The funds will be further placed at the disposal of the Managing Director, J&K Medical Supplies Corporation for utilization of the same during the current financial year (2022-23).
The approval for advance drawl has been made subject to conditions which include that the Accounts Officer, GMC, Srinagar shall vouchsafe the availability of funds for the purpose and that the expenditure shall be booked on admissible items only as approved by the competent authority after observing all the required codal formalities at all levels with due diligence provisioned under GFR-2017.
It is to be noted here that the purpose of the skills lab is to provide a safe environment for students to learn, practice and to observe performing skills in a simulated environment, mitigating the risks involved in direct patient exposure without adequate preparation and supervision.
The skills lab also attempts to recreate the clinical environment and tasks that future healthcare workers have to perform with various levels of complexity and fidelity and are used to enhance – clinical, motor and communication skills, as well as teamwork.
These labs are required to have a minimum of four patient examination rooms (preferably 8) for the examination of patients or standardized/ simulated patients by an individual student and should be equipped with a facility for video recording and review apart from other facilities.
Concerning the upgradation of the Sub-Centre (SC) Khurhama, Kupwara, the H&ME informed about sanctioning it to the level of New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) along with the creation of two posts. The two new posts that have been sanctioned include Medical Officer with Pay Level 9 (52700-166700) and Junior Pharmacist of Pay Level 4 (25500-81100).
The H&ME stated that the sanction to the creation of posts shall be subject to the conditions that include that the Department shall amend the relevant recruitment rules accordingly and that the posts under direct recruitment are filled under S. 0. 192 dated 17-06-2020.
It has also been stated that all future proposals should be submitted after a gap analysis concerning norms laid down by the Government of India, besides mapping of Health Infrastructure on Gati Shakti layers.