Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 31: Doctors from Jammu and Kashmir who have moved out of the country should consider returning to their roots, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said today while promising a conducive atmosphere for medical fraternity.
He also talked about the need for creating a corpus to cater to the needs of the poor patients and invited non-resident doctors of the State to contribute to this fund, saying he has discussed with the Centre the issue of facilitating such donations.
“I want some of our eminent doctors who have made a mark internationally to consider returning to their roots,” Sayeed said addressing the Annual Day function of Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar.
“I assure the medical fraternity that the Government will provide conducive atmosphere for healthcare sector in the State,” he said.
During his address, he noted the need for creating a corpus fund for poor patients.
“Large number of poor people approach me for medical aid under CM’s Relief Fund and I am not able to provide the required assistance to all in view of limited resources. Poor people who are required to undergo kidney transplant, open heart surgeries and procedures for management and treatment of terminal illness like cancer have no access to expensive medical treatment,” he said.
Showering accolades upon those eminent doctors who stayed back and did not opt for greener pastures in the most trying and difficult circumstances, the Chief Minister urged them to take a lead in creating a corpus of fund for poor patients.
He also appealed to non-resident doctors of the State working in different parts of the world to contribute liberally to this corpus.
“I have also taken up the matter with the Union Government at the highest level so that transfer of donations by J&K doctors for this noble cause is facilitated,” he said.
He stressed upon involvement of faculty and students in building institutions so that patients do not have to travel outside and are provided the best healthcare within the State.
Crediting GMC Srinagar for producing eminent doctors who have distinguished themselves in the field of medicine here and abroad, Sayeed reminded the premier health institution of the monumental task ahead of them in closing wide gaps, especially in rural health and advanced medical-care sectors.
“The state is going to become a hub of tertiary medical care facility in near future with two AIIMS, five new Medical Colleges and two Cancer Centres being established. I hope the Health Department continues its endeavour to extend quality healthcare facilities to the remotest and far-flung areas of the state,” the Chief Minister said.
He pitched for upgrading the district health institutions as model hospitals on a pilot basis to avoid unnecessary referrals and underlined that the poor desperately need a level-playing field in quality treatment.
Minister for Health and Medical Education, ARI and Trainings, Choudhary Lal Singh said the Government was going to act tough against the officials found indulging in corrupt practices in heath sector.
“Government won’t tolerate corrupt practices in health sector,” Mr Singh said, adding.
“I have experienced that earlier hospital buildings were created for contractors, equipment used to be bought on commission basis and no one is bothered about the common masses,” he said.
Taking a dig at a minuscule of administrators and doctors in health sector, who Minister referred as “black sheep”, Lal Singh said that revamping health sector needs commitment from the medical fraternity.
“Hospitals have become poaching centres for some medicos. They come, register their attendance and leave for their private clinics and also divert patients to their clinics irrespective of economic status,” he said.
Urging doctors to work for the benevolence of the people, Mr Singh said that Jammu and Kashmir undoubtedly produced some of the genius doctors. However, he urged the new generation of medicos to be pragmatic in their field and contribute for the best of the society.
“We need to see some genius doctors among you,” Mr Singh, while pointing towards the audience said.
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