Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 16: The Committee of Legislative Assembly constituted to examine the cause of alarming increase in the deaths of patients in SKIMS, Srinagar and SMGS hospital (Paediatrics), Jammu today directed the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department to fill the vacant posts of both medical and para-medicals in the health institutions of the state, including Primary Health Centres.
The committee that met here today with Balwant Mankotia in the chair, discussed and reviewed the overall functioning of the H&ME Department and also deliberated on the causes of the infant deaths in SMGS Hospital (Paediatrics), Jammu and District Hospital Baramulla.
The Committee members Ch. Zulfkar Ali, Ashok Kumar, Dr. Shafi Ahmed Wani, Charan Jeet Singh, Durga Dass and Er. Abdul Rashid gave their valuable suggestions for the improvement of the health delivery system.
The panel called for comprehensive policy for deputation quota and asked the concerned to amend necessary rules in this regard. It also asked the H&ME Department to look into the issue of private practice by the doctors working in Government hospitals.
The Committee decided that the Sub-Committee headed by Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani and its members Engineer Abdul Rashid, Advocate Abdul Huq and Peer Aafaq Ashmad will visit Baramula and Handwara hospitals shortly to get on-the-spot feedback. The panel was asked to submit their report before the Committee by January 23.
Addressing the meeting, the Chairman said that the need was to work in coordination and up-grade the system to evolve best health services delivery system in the state.
Among others, Additional Secretary H&ME, Jatinder Gupta, Director SKIMS, Dr. Showkat Ahmed Zargar, Director Health Service Kashmir, Dr. Saleem-ur-Rehman, Director Health Service, Jammu Dr. Mudhu Khullar, Principal Medical College Dr. Aniece Chowdhary, Medical Superintendent SMGS Dr. A.K Sharma, Chief Medical Officers of Jammu, Samba and Reasi and other officers from H&ME besides senior officers from Assembly secretariat attended the meeting.