LEH, MAY 31 Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat on his maiden visit to Leh district today inaugurated the Surgical and Diagnostic Block of SNM Hospital.
Dr. Sonam Dawa Lonpo, CEC LAHDC, Nawang Rigzin Jora, MLA, Dorjey Mutup, EC Works, Prasanna Ramaswamy, DC Leh, Dr. Saleem-ur-Rehman, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Councilors, Upper Leh, Lower Leh, Chuchul, CMO Leh, MS SNM Hospital Leh doctors and other medical staff were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Bhagat said that during the past over four decades the Ladakh region has faced apathy of previous regimes and lacked development in all sectors. He said the present government is committed to ensure equitable development of all three regions of the state without any disparity. He said that Jammu and Kashmir is not self-sustenance in absence of revenue generation and the lack of private enterprise, which is a major reason for its slow pace of developmental.
The Minister congratulated the people for upgradation of medicare facilities in the SNM Hospital and assured to further address the needs with regard to the upgradation of health infrastructure and diagnostic facilities in Leh. He said he will review the overall health scenario in Srinagar with the concerned officers and take all necessary steps to improve it at the grass root level. He issued on-the-spot instructions to the Director Health to immediately depute a critical care ambulance for Leh district to tackle the emergencies. He also assured to post back all the Ladakhi doctors posted in the Valley to Leh soon to augment the services in Ladakh region
The Minister also visited different blocks of the hospital including ICU, Neo-natal intensive care unit, operation theatre, surgical ward, surgical OPD, tourist ward and interacted with the patients. He lauded the doctors and medical staff for their dedicated work and ensuring cleanliness, hygiene and maintaining a healthy environment in the hospital.
The CEC demanded special funds for construction of an exclusive tourist ward with staff and provision of additional medicines and diagnostic facilities as Leh being the tourist hub. He urged the Minister to restore the directorial power to DC Leh and delegate him with the authority to conduct direct recruitments at his level that he said would address to a great extent the issue of filling of vacant posts in all the departments.
Nawang Rigzin Jora endorsed CECs demand and further raised the issue of paucity of fund under state sector for development of physical infrastructure in Leh. CEC also stressed to get the Trauma centre sanctioned in Khaltsi and a Medical College on priority to Leh.
CMO Dr. Yangchan briefed the Minister about the problems faced by Health Department Leh that includes filling of vacant posts of medical officers and doctors under NRHM, sanction untied funds for 15 medical Sub-Centres, post creation of sub-division hospital at Nyoma and Khaltsi, creation for newly sanctioned 18 MSC under NRHM, sanctioning of PHC along with post at Hemya, Tegar and Sumoor, infrastructure for AMT School, heating system for PHC Bogdang and Turtuk to mention some.
