Jammu: Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat Thursday said Government is seriously considering to set up an exclusive Bone & Joint Hospital at Jammu to cater to the needs of huge number of patients suffering from various bone & joints related issues in Jammu division.
Speaking at a function organized by the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at Government Medical College (GMC) here Thursday to felicitate him for meeting their long pending demand regarding removing disparity in the stipend, the Minister said a DPR has been formulated for establishment of Bone & Joint Hospital at Jammu and shortly the Government of India will be approached for granting necessary sanction and allocating funds for the purpose. Presently there is no such hospital in Jammu division and patients have to move to Srinagar or neighbouirng States for the specialized treatment, said the Minister.
Maintaining that the present BJP-PDP Government headed by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti is giving topmost priority to upgrade the health infrastructure and diagnostic facilities in every nook and corner of the State, Bali said several steps have been initiated during the past three years to improve things on ground and change is very much visible in all the health institutions. He said major issue is the shortage of manpower (doctors and para-medics), for which the Government has formulated a comprehensive proposal to create posts of doctors and para-medics as per the patient ratio, especially in the newly established districts. He said patient rush has increased manifold in all hospitals, but staff strength has remained the same. He said the matter regarding creation of posts stands discussed with the Chief Minister and Finance Minister recently at a high-level meeting, and the proposal has been agreed in principle. He hoped that soon the issue of paucity of medicos shall be addressed.
Regarding the deficiencies pointed out by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in the GMC, Jammu and Srinagar in view of the increased intake seats, the Minister said Government has already taken note of it and all necessary steps have been put in place to fulfill the gaps as per the requirements of the MCI. He said the concerned Principals have been directed to plug the gaps at the earliest. He assured to provide necessary funds for the renovation of doctors hostels, upgradation of library, canteen, doctors rooms in hospital and other necessary facilities so that the doctors can perform their duties more efficiently.
Expressing happiness on bringing the rate of stipend at par with SKIMS doctors, the Minister said it was a great discrimination within a State with the PG Students and Registrars, and the Government has addressed this issue once for all and removed the disparity. He said this issue hanged in balance for more than three decades and all previous regimes did not pay any heed to this genuine problem, but the present government considered this issue on humanitarian grounds and fulfilled the long outstanding demands of doctors. He also assured to address their all other genuine pending issues on priority.
Listing to a major achievement of department of health & medical education during the post three years, the Minister said the ambitous Government Ayurvedic College, Jammu, which was closed down by the then government in 1975 due to unknown reasons, has been revived after more than four decades and Government of India has given its fresh nod to start a batch of 50 BAMS seats at Jammu from the current academic session. He again congratulated the people of Jammu for getting this precious gift, adding that the AYUSH sector has become most popular for the past over three decades and people are preferring this age old traditional healthcare system in the country and State. He hoped that with the starting of this Ayurvedic College there will be great push to AYUSH sector in the State for whcih there is a lot of potential of herbal reserves across Jammu and Kashmir.
Principal GMC, Dr. Sunanda Raina also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the achievements and problems of the College. She also expressed happiness on meeting the long pending demands of the PG Students regarding enhancement in the stipend and said the move will give new energy and enthusiasm amongst the young doctors and go a long way in improving the services.
On the occasion, the RDA honored the Minister by presenting him memento and a shawl. They expressed gratitude to him for his personal efforts for eradicating the disparity in the payment of stipend. They also conveyed gratitude to the Chief Minister, Finance Minister and Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education for addressing their genuine and long outstanding issue which has provided great relief to the PG doctors and Registrars. They also highlighted their other demands and requested for their early solution.
President Medical Teachers Association (MTA), Dr. Sunil Kotwal, General Secretary, MTA, Dr. Kailash Singh and several faculty members, HoDs, Medical Superintendents, PG Students and Registrars were present on the occasion.
