Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 26: The Biomedical Equipment Management and Maintenance Program (BEMMP) and the Tele-Radiology Services under the National Free Diagnostics are improving healthcare services delivery across J&K while the same is going to witness further improvement in the times to come.
Under the BEMMP program, the engineers are deployed in all the districts for point-of-care services while managing the prescribed limits of downtime as the Service Providers ensure that at no point in time, any equipment is dysfunctional beyond 7 days of registering the complaint at the user end.
As per officials, under the program, in case the equipment is dysfunctional beyond 7 days, a suitable penalty would apply to every extra day beyond 7 days, in regular circumstances.
It is to be noted here that the equipment namely Blood Gas Analyzer (ABG) Machine, ECG Machine, Ventilator, Radiant Warmer, Defibrillator are considered as Life-Saving equipment and in case of breakdown of such equipment beyond a period of 48 hours, the service provider arranges for standby equipment at the Health facilities.
Officials said that concerning the impact of the program on the healthcare delivery services across J&K, they said, scores of equipment that were lying non-functional in the health institutions have been made functional.
They also said that the program has improved the delivery of healthcare services to the public by provisioning diagnostics as well as interventional, and surgical procedures to be performed in time bound manner without delay.
The officials underline that the program has helped ensure uninterrupted health delivery by timely repair/maintenance of medical equipment even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notably, BEMMP was launched by H&ME a few years ago and the services include biomedical equipment management and maintenance at all public health care facilities up to the PHC level in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and is aimed at facilitating assured quality diagnostics and treatment services in public health facilities by keeping all the biomedical equipment in the functional state
As of now, the BEMMP is being implemented in PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode while the program entails the provision of toll-free number for equipment breakdown registration, preventive and corrective maintenance, free supply of spares, and training of users on equipment
Concerning the Tele-Radiology Services under the National Free Diagnostics, the officials said that the same has greatly affected the healthcare service delivery across J&K.
They said that the program has ensured accurate diagnosis without compromising quality, with the use of high-end technology and equipment. The same, officials said, improved consultation and better management of patient care in remote areas which will reduce referrals
“The program has also ensured quality services at affordable prices and has resulted in a reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure; it strengthened trauma care, round the clock availability of radio diagnostics services apart from addressing the shortage of Radiologists.”
As per officials, the project has been started initiated under the “National Free Diagnostics Initiative” of the National Health Mission in PPP Mode in identified DHs/SDHs/CHCs and is aiming at setting up technology systems for digitization, transmission, and reporting of medical images in all identified healthcare facilities.
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