The healthcare system in the Union Territory of Chandigarh is ailing… From developing a strong public health focus strategy to the upgradation of the existing health centres, the UT Administration has failed to make any headway in revamping the health care delivery system in the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
This has been revealed in a recent study conducted by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Centre (CRRID) to assess the progress in health policy, health systems and health care services under the NRHM at different levels (from sub-centres to hospitals) in the city. Bringing out the progress in various health policies and systems in the city, the survey stated the UT Administration has failed to enact Public Health Act, minimise regular vacancies, strengthening public health nursing cadre and sustain contractual human resources under Reproductive & Child Health (RCH) programme/NRHM here.
“Revamping of Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) training centres and paramedical institutions and re-structuring of pre-service education is yet to be completed here. Also, use of medical colleges as resource centres for national health programmes is not in place in the union territory,” pointed out the report.
During survey at tertiary care Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16 (GMSH-16) here, it was found that all ANMs are not trained in Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI). Besides, there is no Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) call centre to monitor service delivery to children and pregnant woman, no online availability of PNDT registration records and centralised call centre for referral transport at district levels and performance monitoring during training /post deployment is also not ensured at the hospital, stated the survey report.
Further, the GMSH-16 has no plans of training and capacity building of field level functionaries of Department of Women and Child Development and appointing of counselors at high case load facilities (emphasis on post-partum family planning services)
The report stated that partnerships with private service providers is not done to supplement government’s efforts in underserved and vulnerable areas for deliveries, family planning services and diagnostics. Also, there is no involvement of NGOs (non government services) in filling service delivery gaps in various health instaurations here. On the parameters of community involvement to improve health services here, the UT Administration has failed to put in place patient’s feedback and grievance redressal system.
Revealing that there is no prescription audit and essential drugs are not available due to slow purchase process except for maternal health services, the report stated that the UT Administration is yet to set up a dedicated a corporation to ensure availability of all essential drugs and medicines in the government medical institutions here by adopting a streamlined procedure for their procurement, storage and distribution. The report also referred to one such Corporation namely Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation limited (TNMSC).
Availability of GPD (Global Positioning System) fitted ambulances, reliable and assured free transport for pregnant women and newborn/infants and establishment of control rooms for timely response and provision of health services is still in process in various government health institutions of the city, pointed out the report. “A system of preventive maintenance of equipment is not in place in government health institutions of union territory of Chandigarh,” said Aswini Kumar Nanda, Professor and Director, Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), Sector 19 here.
He said, “The CRRID team conducted surveys at GMSH-16, CHC Manimajra, Civil Dispensary Industrial Area I, Sub Centre Modern Housing Complex, Sub Centre Mouli village in Chandigarh.” “On the parameters of training and capacity building, the Administration is yet to initiate monitoring of post training outcomes, up-scaling of multi skilling initiatives and accreditation of training,” he added.