Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 18: Flagging appropriate health care for women and children as a key ingredient in health service expansion and upgradation scheme in the State, Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan on Saturday stressed on ensuring cent percent benefits to pregnant women and newborns under National Rural Health Mission.
“The pregnant women and newborn children are entitled under this programme to receive free medical treatment including medicine, diagnoses and blood besides nutrition, transport and other related facilities”, he said, adding people should be made well aware about these benefits.
Reviewing the physical and financial status of several health care schemes implemented in Kashmir Division under Centre and State plans at a high level meeting, the Minister said all components of the flagship programme need to be focused for the larger benefits to the people in rural and far-flung areas. He said that under a sustained awareness campaign in the state people should be extensively educated about the health welfare schemes so that they take best advantages of these.
“The information about JSSK, JSSY, RBSK, PND schemes aimed at providing health security to pregnant women, newborns, children and also about the cancer and other chronic ailments should all the more be disseminated at the grass root level and its implementation undertaken with professional zeal and missionary spirit”, he told the Health Department officials. He called upon the health functionaries to consolidate the gains that accrued so far and make concerted effort to bring down IMR and MMR in the State.
Secretary Health and Medical Education, Gazanfar Hussain, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Mission Director, NRHM, Director, ISM, Director Family Welfare, Drug and Food Controller, Financial Advisor, Joint Director Planning, Deputy Directors of Health Department, Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents were among others attended the meeting
He emphasized the need for universal access of people to the fleet of ambulances procured under NRHM asking for making 102 Phone Number fully operational within week’s time for ensuring hassle free ambulance services to the needy patients. He underscored the need for further strengthening medical facilities in inaccessible area through Mobile Medical units already established at Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Leh districts.
The Minister asked health officials to focus on the mission to save girl child and initiate steps to improve the gender ratio in the state. He laid emphasis on drawing a strategy for improving the gender ratio and directed officials to proactively check the illegal practice of sex determination practices. He asked the officials to conduct regular inspections at Ultra-Sonography centers to keep a check on illegal practices of sex determination.
The Minister underscored the need for time bound completion of all ongoing hospital projects in the area. He stressed upon the concerned to redouble the efforts of field functionaries in this regard and ensure quality works with judicious use of Government exchequer.
Expressing concern over the unnecessary referral by the Primary Health Centers and district hospitals to tertiary healthcare centers, the Minister stressed the need for discouraging this practice to avoid unnecessary encumbrance in the Medical Colleges. He called for equipping the district hospitals appropriately to attend all types of patients except those cases which require specialized treatment. The concerned doctors will have to give the reason for referring the particular patient to the higher institutions.
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