KL Report
SRINAGAR
The District Hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir would soon have Neonatal care units to cater to healthcare requirements of sick newborn, besides generic drug stores offering affordable medicines to the patients.
The matter came up for discussion at a meeting of senior health department functionaries, Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents convened to review the healthcare system in Kashmir division with the Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan in the chair.
The Health Minister said that Sick Neonatal Care units and Generic drug stores would be opened in all the District Hospitals adding that the District Hospital Shopian would be  strengthened by equipping it with adequate manpower and infrastructure to provide health care facilities to the people travelling via Mughal road. He   directed concerned authorities to submit proposals for taking necessary steps. He said government would also consider setting up of health centers at main spots of the road.
The Health Minister cautioned that nobody would be allowed to play with the lives of the people adding that stringent action would be taken against those  found involved in supply of spurious drugs, which is a heinous crime. He directed for conducting regular administrative inspections of all the health institutions to avoid irregularities and ensure accountability and transparency in the working of health institutions.
Health Minister instructed that State Drug Purchase Committee to make necessary drug purchases from the approved rate contracts of Health & Medical Education Department out of Essential Drug List of Drug Policy to meet the  requisitions received from CMOs and BMOs . He directed that vital items like dressing material, IV fluid, IV sets, Lab items and X-ray films to be given priority while making purchases. He directed that generic drugs of standard Companies should be given preference during the purchase.
Health Minister directed that for purchase of drugs under JSSK district level Committees should be formulated with CMOs as their chairman and only those drugs be purchased which are not available in the hospital supply.
The Health Minister directed the Drug and Food Control Organization to ensure  testing of drugs/ injections, before these were distributed for the consumption of patients.
Health Minister instructed CMOs to submit their suggestions for setting up of new health centers in the districts in the light of the set norms and recommendations made at District Development Board (DDB) meetings. He asked them to redouble their efforts for time bound completion of all ongoing health projects .He instructed that utilization certificates of funds of each projects should be submitted well in time to facilitate early release of next installments from the Centre.
Among other matters, the meeting also reviewed implementation of the dress code and provision of identity cards to health employees, field visits of designated officers, attachments of staff, Status of insurance of Ambulances, status of 102 service, establishment of control room, fitting of vehicles with GPS system and school health programme.
The Health Minister exhorted upon the CMOs to carry out mass awareness about health programmes in rural and hilly areas to ensure that maximum benefits reach the common masses. He said it should be strictly ensured that health checks of school going children are conducted on regular intervals.
