SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today in a meeting held to review functioning of Medical Colleges and status of ongoing infrastructure projects, impressed upon the concerned to establish critical care Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in all the newly established Medical Colleges of the UT. Present in the meeting were Secretary Health & Medical Education, Secretary, PWD; Secretary, Planning; MD, NHM; Director, SKIMS; DG, Codes; MD, JKPCC; Principals of Medical Colleges; Development Commissioner (Works); Director Health, Kashmir/Jammu; Chief Engineers and other concerned officers. The Chief Secretary took stock of the major services being offered in these Medical Colleges. He enquired about the novel diagnostic tests introduced in these health institutions and the unique procedures performed by the doctors. He exhorted upon the Principals of these Colleges to strive for continuous upgradation of facilities so that there remains no need to refer patients from these facilities to anywhere. Dulloo directed the concerned department to form an expert panel to find out the specific procedures that could be done in these Colleges with optimum utilization of manpower and resources available there. While taking appraisal of the faculty status in these Colleges, the Chief Secretary stressed on filling all the available positions of Assistant Professors besides taking measures for engaging eligible persons for higher positions. He asked for repeating the advertisements till all the faculty positions are availed by these Colleges. He maintained that the old medical colleges like SKIMS, GMC Jammu/Srinagar should play a mentoring role for the overall handholding and capacity building of staff in these Colleges to enhance their efficiency and outcomes. The Chief Secretary impressed upon the Health department to work towards offering Drug De-addiction Indoor Patient Department (IPD) facilities in its District Hospitals where there is availability of space and professional psychiatrists. He called for better utilization of these resources for bringing respite to the victims of drug addiction. Dulloo reviewed progress on the major infrastructure projects including the balance work on the 07 new medical colleges at Kathua, Doda, Rajouri, Anantnag, Baramulla, Udhampur and Handwara. He also assessed progress on operationalization of new block of Bone & Joint Hospital Srinagar and Extension of Labour Room at SMGS Hospital Jammu. He asked for taking swift steps for operationalization of Phase 2nd of Government Dental College Jammu. The Chief Secretary enquired about the status of facilities like PET-Scan, Branchy therapy, Linear Accelerator in the two Cancer Institutes here. He asked about the occupancy of beds there and any other requirements, if needed for their efficient working. Secretary, H&ME, Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah, presented an overview of functioning of the department highlighting major achievements made during the year. He also threw light on the status of faculty position at each Medical College, the criticality plan and way forward for completion of the major infrastructure projects currently under progress. He informed the meeting that an improvement of 5% in faculty position of new medical colleges has been registered in the last 3 months. He said that all entry level posts stand referred to JKPSC, out of which, some selections have been made and recommendations are being received from the selection body. It was revealed that QR Code facility,as per the previous directions, had been introduced at payment counters in hospitals of J&K for efficient and transparent queue management. It was added that services of Bone & Joint Hospital Jammu has been improved by way of starting Operation Theatres, CT Scan & Ultrasound Services in the new hospital building. Besides, the meeting was apprised that the IPD services of de-addiction have been started in GMCs of Baramulla, Kathua, Anatnag and Rajouri. A notable improvement has been achieved in services at State Cancer Institute, Jammu by way of establishment of PET CT Scan, high dose rate of Brachytherapy during this period.
