Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 25: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today conducted surprise check of the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and found several “gap areas” around the Wards and Emergency, which the authorities promised to overcome as the Chief Minister stated that she would again visit the GMC on June 30 and shouldn’t find any kind of filth.
She issued series of directions to the top officials accompanying her and the GMC administration for improving healthcare, providing good sanitary conditions and making available other facilities to the patients and their attendants.
Commissioner/Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, who accompanied the Chief Minister along with her Principal Secretary Navin Choudhary among others, told the Excelsior that there were “some gap areas” around the Wards but, at the same time, there was some improvement also from the past in the GMC Jammu.
“We are taking re-look at the cleaning of corridors around the Wards, which serve as sitting and sleeping area for the attendants,” he said.
The Chief Minister was visibly upset over heaps of waste lying in and around the GMC, which she expressed to the officials accompanying her as well as the GMC Principal Dr Zahid H Gilani and other senior authorities. She clearly told the authorities that such kind of dirt shouldn’t be visible again.
Promising to visit the GMC Jammu again on June 30, Mehbooba Mufti inter-acted with patients in Ward No. 1 of Orthopedic Department and enquired about their treatment, drugs and facilities being given to them. She also met with some attendants of the patients outside the Ward and enroute and sought to know the problems faced and facilities provided to them.
Sources said there was “mixed response” from the patients as well as their attendants. While some of them expressed satisfaction with treatment and facilities, others were completely dejected. However, most of the patients and their attendants were of the view that conditions in the GMC Jammu have improved a bit from the past.
Calling upon the GMC authorities to undertake major “clean-up drive” in the GMC premises and ensure best medicare to the patients and facilities to the attendants, the Chief Minister said the State Government has taken up healthcare as “key sector” and would provide all facilities to the patients.
Taking note of the “infrastructure deficiencies” in the Medical College, the Chief Minister called upon the GMC authorities to remove them and ensure that the patients didn’t have to suffer.
Dr Bhandari said some attendants of the patients were throwing dirt from upper floors, which directly falls into the lobby. “This aspect has been noted and the GMC administration was briefed accordingly to clean-up the area continuously. Also, instructions have been passed on regular cleaning operations,” he added.
He said the corridors were now being better maintained. Wards were also normal, rather, better than the past, which the Chief Minister also appreciated.
The Chief Minister said among other key sectors, health sector is one of the priority areas for the Government and as a part of the Government’s initiative to provide best possible healthcare facilities at the doorstep, Model Hospitals are being established in every constituency of the State. She said two such Model Hospitals have already come up at Anantnag and Basohli.
Mehbooba said two AIIMSs are also being established in the State besides five new Medical Colleges were coming up at Kathua, Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda and Rajouri.
She said with the commissioning of these health institutions, the healthcare facilities in the State would be augmented to a great extent.
The Chief Minister also inspected Rajiv Gandhi Hospital at Gangyal Jammu and took stock of the healthcare facilities there.
District Development Commissioner Jammu, Dr Simrandeep Singh, Director Health Services Jammu, Dr B S Pathania, IGP Jammu Danesh Rana and other officers of the Health Department and district administration accompanied the Chief Minister.
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