Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today said in Legislative Assembly that health sector is prime focus of the Government and several initiatives have been taken for strengthening the health infrastructure across the State to ensure better medicare facilities to the people.
Replying to the discussion on the grants of the Health & Medical Education Department in the House, the Minister said that despite hard times the Department has been making concerted efforts to extend better health services to the people on ground.
Giving details of human resource engaged in this pivotal sector, the Minister said that the Department has the best medical professionals rendering their services to the people and serious efforts are being made to fill the vacant posts in all the health institutions in a systematic manner.
“To equip the health institutions with required human resource, as many as 4208 posts of doctors and para-medics have been referred to the concerned recruiting agencies for their early selection”, the Minister said.
“143 hospital projects are presently under execution involving a total cost of Rs 1367.12 crore against which Rs 621.80 crore has been utilized up to ending March, 2016”, the Minister informed.
He said that two new 200-bedded Maternity Hospitals are coming up at Govt. Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu and Bemina in Srinagar at a cost of Rs 50.00 crore each, adding that two Sub-District Hospitals at SDH Dooru, Anantnag in Kashmir Division and SDH Basholi, Kathua in Jammu Division have been taken up for up gradation as Model Hospitals are expected to be made functional during the current financial year.
In order to cope up with the shortage of nursing staff in the State, the Minister said that 11 ANM/ GNM Schools are being established in phase-I at various districts under Centrally Sponsored Scheme at a cost of Rs 37.95 crore and work on these schools is at different stages of completion. Under phase-II, ten more ANM/GNM Schools are being established in the State with an estimated cost of Rs. 23.56 crore, which stands released in full, he added.
Earlier, taking part in the debate Neelam Kumar Langeh urged for making district hospital, sub-district hospital in Ramban district fully operational besides asking for providing separate budgetary provision for defunct Trauma Hospital in the district.
Advocate Muhammad Yousuf Bhat stressed the need of establishing and upgradation of District Level Hospitals in the State.
Mian Altaf Ahmad said the Government needs to ensure that the transferred doctors and paramedics must join at their new work place. He said the Government should also ensure the up-gradation of health infrastructure in the State.
Er Rashid appreciated the Health Department for its performance during the Kashmir unrest.
Dr Gagan Bhagat said there is a need to formulate a comprehensive policy for improving the salary of doctors serving in the State.
Raja Manzoor Ahmad demanded to strengthen the health institutions especially in far flung areas. He urged for making primary health centres (PHCs) operational by providing the necessary health equipment required there.
Sheikh Ishfaq Jabar urged for providing dialysis treatment at district level hospitals to minimize the rush at SKIMS. He demanded for opening of new Ayurvedic and Unani Hospitals in District Ganderbal.
MY Tarigami urged the Government for providing maximum budgetary provision under health sector and called for formulation of comprehensive draft policy for regularization of Nation Health Mission (NHM) employees. He also advocated for enhancing salaries of ASHA workers besides, also demanded for early filling up of Doctors in Medical Block Kulgam.
Bashir Ahmad Dar hailed the Government for providing Tertiary Care Hospital in district Kupwara. He urged for shifting of some units of district hospital Kupwara to other places to ensure rush of patients to the district hospital is cut.
Dr Krishan Lal urged the Government for expansion of health sector especially in rural areas and early filling up of vacant posts in all health institutions in his Constituency.
Javaid Hassan Beigh demanded strengthening of all District Hospitals under Prime Minister’s Development Package. He also urged for acquiring land for construction of hospital in his Constituency.
Vikar Rasool Wani urged the Government for filling up of vacant posts of medical and para-medical staff in all health institutions in besides organizing free medical camps in his Constituency.
Syed Aga Ruhullah urged the Government for upgradation of District Hospital Budgam.
Dina Nath Bhagat complimented the Government for providing infrastructure in the health centres in the State and urged for immediate filling up of vacant posts of doctors and other staff in his Constituency. He also demanded for establishment of Trauma Centre in his Constituency.
Yawar Ahmad Mir urged for providing appropriate staff for all health institutions in his Constituency besides fully equipped ambulances should be placed there.
Altaf Ahmad Wani demanded that construction, repair and renovation works of various health institutions should be resumed on priority.
Asgar Ali Karbalie demanded for increase in MBBS seats quota for students of Ladakh region.
Gulzar Ahmad Wani urged the Government to provide sufficient funds for PHC and NTPHCs in his constituency.
Ajaz Ahmad Mir demanded for early filling up of vacant posts of medical and para-medical staff in all health institutions of the State.
Mubarak Gul appreciated the role of doctors who came from outside the state during unrest. He pleaded for proper focus on opening of drug addiction centres in the State so the needy people get benefitted.
Ch. Mohammad Akram demanded for providing adequate Medical and Para Medical staff for Sub district Hospital Surankote.
Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal appreciated the efforts being taken by the department to raise health infrastructure in the state. He thanked the Minister for opening of blood bank in his constituency. He urged for improving the condition of Emergency Ward in GMC Jammu.
Abdul Rahim Rather hailed the Government for sanctioning 2 AIIMS, 2 Cancer Institute and 5 medical colleges in the State for providing better health facilities to the people. He demanded for strengthening all PHCs for minimising stress on major health institutions.
Mohammad Amin Bhat appreciated the role of officers and Doctors of the department for provided uninterrupted services to the people during unrest period.
Mohammad Akbar Lone demanded for providing adequate medical and paramedical staff to all health institutions of his constituency including Naidkhai, Shadipora and other health centres.
Shakti Raj Parihar demanded for early acquisition of land for construction of two health centres in his Constituency.
Shah Mohammad Tantray demanded for regularization of employees engaged under NHM and called for providing training to ASHA workers.
Mumtaz Ahmad Khan demanded for filling up of doctors at Sub District Hospital, Mahore, PHCs at Bana and Gotta.
Abdul Majid Larmi complimented the Government for taking reformative initiatives in the health sector and demanded for filling up of vacant post of doctors and other para medical staff in all health institutions in his constituency.
Jewan Lal demanded for enhancing honorarium in favour of ASHA works and regularization of employees engaged under NHM. He demanded for providing special incentive to the doctors posted in rural areas and asked to provide funds for construction of PHC in his constituency.
Anjum Fazili demanded for strengthening of Chest Disease Hospital and Model Hospital.
Aijaz Ahmad Khan stressed for strengthening District Hospitals of the State.
Mohammad Ashraf Mir demanded for expediting the process of filling up of vacant posts in all health institutions of the State and urged for posting of Medical Officers appointed recently through Public Service Commission.
R S Pathania demanded for establishment of accidental hospital on National Highway. He also called for regularization of employees engaged under NHM.
G M Saroori also took part in discussion called for proper checking of sub standard drugs supplied to various Government Hospitals in the State.
Rajeev Sharma demanded for early functional of blood bank in his constituency and stressed for providing of critical ambulances in his constituency.
Choudhary Qamar Hussain complimented the Government for fulfilling the long pending demand of the people of the twin district of Rajouri and Poonch by giving medical college to district Rajouri.
Noor Mohammad Sheikh demanded for creation of staff for Unani Hospital Shaltang.
Javid Mustafa Mir stressed for maintaining coordination among the cadres in health department.
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