Says “Govt is strengthening existing healthcare facilities under IPHS-2022 norms”
Jammu :Minister for Health and Medical Education, SakeenaItooSaturday informed the House that to address critical gaps in the health sector, the department is focusing on strengthening the existing healthcare facilities under IPHS-2022 norms and enhancing accessibility through telemedicine services (e-Sanjeevani) using a hub-and-spoke model to ensure improved quality services to the common masses.
The Health Minister stated this while replying to a question of Legislator, Dr. Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri in Legislative Assembly regarding the Health sector.
The Minister informed that there are four Medical Blocks in the Srigufwara-Bijbehara Constituency, namely Qaimoh and Yaripora under the jurisdiction of CMO Kulgam and Bijbehara and Sallar under the jurisdiction of CMO Anantnag, who supervise the medical services in the area.
She added that 24 health facilities of different categories like PHCs, NTPHCs, Sub-Centres, falling under these four Medical blocks, are functional in Bijbehara-Srigufwara Constituency.
The Minister further said that at present, there is no proposal in the department to make the Medical Blocks of Srigufwara-Bijbehara co-terminus with the constituency. She added that the Medical Blocks have been established keeping in view the number of health institutions, population density, topography and accessibility, in line with the WHO standards.
The Minister also informed the House that the 110-bedded State-of-the-Art Trauma Hospital at Bijbehara has presently sanctioned strength of 08 B-Grade Consultant posts, of which, 04 specialists are in place while 02 sanctioned posts of Medical Officers are also in place. She added that against 24 sanctioned posts of paramedical staff, 11 are substantively filled.
The Health Minister also said that to address the vacancies and make the hospital fully operational in the interest of public healthcare, the department has already referred 480 posts of Medical Officers to J&K Public Service Commission for advertisement and selection of eligible candidates. She also said that 802 posts of Non-Gazetted staff, which included para-medical positions, are under consideration to be referred to J&K Services Selection Board for recruitment.
She informed that constant measures are being actively pursued to ensure that the Trauma Hospital Bijbehara becomes fully functional at the earliest, thereby serving the healthcare needs of the public effectively.
Regarding shortage of staff at PHCs/NTPHCs of K-Kalan, Veeri, Kanelwan, Adlash, Naina-GB Khalil, Subhanpora and Arwani, the Minister said that medical services in these facilities are presently being managed through internal adjustments and rationalization of available staff to ensure continuity of patient care.
She added that vacancies of doctors and paramedical staff are proposed to be filled up on a regular basis after receipt of the selection lists from the recruiting agencies and till such time, the department is adopting interim measures to ensure continuity of healthcare services in these areas.
