GPS equipped ambulances in State soon: Shabir

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 12:  Minister of State for Health (Independent charge) Shabir Ahmed Khan today said that the State Health Department has decided to equip ambulances with Global Positioning System (GPS) to check their  misuse and improve the service efficiency .
In this regard, the department would establish two Control Rooms one each in Jammu and Srinagar to regulate the Ambulance service that can be sought on dialing 102, the Minister said, while chairing monthly meeting held to review the functioning of the Health Department in Jammu region.
The Minister also informed that the State Government has decided to organise crash courses in Gynaecology, Anaesthesia, Radiology and other streams to enable the doctors posted in remote areas to cater to varied healthcare needs of the people.  He said that in view of   limited staff in healthcare intuitions of far flung areas, the doctors posted there would be imparted crash courses in all important streams to enable them to cater to the    varied needs of the patients.
Reviewing the functioning of the department, the Minister called upon the Medical Superintendents, Chief Medical Officers, Block Medical Officers and other officers of Health departments to strictly follow the guidelines while implementing various centrally and State sponsored schemes.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Health, Ganzaffer Hussain, Director Health Services, Dr. B.S. Pathania, Mission Director National Rural Health Mission, Dr. Yash Pal Sharma, Director Family Welfare (J&K, Dr. Baldev Sharma, Director ISM, Dr. Kabir, Controller Drugs and Food Control Organization, Satish Gupta, CMO Jammu, Dr. Javed Ahmed Chib, Deputy Director ISM, Dr. Rameshwar Dutt, Medical Superintendents, CMOs, BMOs and other senior functionaries of the Health Department.
The Minister assessed the healthcare facilities being provided to the people in Jammu province  at district and block level health institutions     like provision for consultancy,  surgery, besides diagnostic services like  X-Rays, ECG and Ultrasound.
The Minister maintained that Government has initiated numerous steps to improve the working environment in hospitals and it is duty of the doctors to provide best services to the people. He stressed upon all heads of the institutions to make every official accountable for achieving the targets set under different schemes.
Regarding supply of medicines, the Minster was informed that the department is distributing medicines as per the performance of the institute. The Minister asked the officers to ensure regular supply of medicines to rural areas and work with synergy to overcome the shortcomings.
The Minister directed   the Medical Superintendents and other doctors to ensure their stay at the hospitals of their posting and leave the station only  after seeking  permission from the competent authority . He directed the Director Health Services to monitor the movement of each doctor and organize awareness camps to aware the people about the flagship health programmes.
Director Health Services and Mission Director, NRHM briefed the Minister about the performance of the department.