Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Jan 22: Re-affirming Government’s determination to provide better health facilities to the people particularly in far-off and remote villages, the Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan has said under a comprehensive and gigantic health consolidation and expansion programme scores of health centers in the villages, sub-districts and districts have been completed and many are in the process of completion.
Addressing a public meeting after laying foundation of staff quarter at Primary Health Center at Ghambir Mughlan to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs. 50 lakh, the Health Minister said that besides upgrading and modernizing the health institutions, a mega expansion programme is in offing to ensure health coverage and better medicare facilities to the people across the State. He said that health sector has been focused as one of the most important sectors by the Government in the development policy and during last five years it received full attention for improvement and upgradation.
The Health Minister said that coming up of modern health facilities at the primary and secondary levels would not only expand the orbit of health coverage for people but reduce the pressure on the hospitals in cities. He asked Health Department to ensure better facilities to the patients in Government hospitals and utilize modern equipments provided to the health institutions to extend modern treatment to the patients.
Shabir said that Union Health Ministry is extending special grants to Jammu and Kashmir for upgradation of health and medical education sector and extend its reach to all areas in the State. He said the Centre recently doubled the programme implementation plan from Rs 236 crore to Rs 436 crore to the State under NRHM, which would help to complete the ongoing health projects besides strengthen diagnostic equipments and skilled human resource in the hospitals.
The Minister also met local deputations who brought to his notice different development demands pertaining to their areas and also urged setting up of more health centers in their areas. The Minister gave patient hearing to the deputations and said that their genuine demands would be considered duly.
Meanwhile, the Minister also reviewed pace of progress of several ongoing projects in the area. He directed concerned executing agencies to ensure time bound completion of the projects for early benefits of the people of area.
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