Boosting and improvising the health services in the State is the biggest challenge for the Government, said Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna while inaugurating the new trauma-emergency unit at Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital here in the State capital on Friday.
The State lacks sufficient health and medical facilities, especially in the remote and mountainous areas. Though the State has achieved development in various other areas, it is still lagging behind in the medical and health sector, maintained Bahuguna. While appreciating the active participation of doctors in treating patients during the disaster in June, Bahuguna said that this helping spirit should be maintained.
He also spoke on several projects and schemes to be initiated by the State Government in the health sector. "We are planning to start various projects with the CM relief fund, including the launch of buses furnished with all the medical facilities. One such bus would be provided in each district of the State. Along with it, a hospital and trauma centre equipped with 50 beds would be opened at seven places of the State, including Joshimath, Bageshwar, Uttarkashi, Guptkashi, Gauchar, Jauljeevi and Kapkot.
Since Uttarakhand is an accident prone state, each one of us should be aware about the precautions to be taken. Natural calamity should be a subject in the school curriculum of Uttarakhand and children should be taught from the very beginning how to tackle the disaster like situations," Bahuguna said. He added that in coordination with private hospitals, the State will try and get doctors from big hospitals to extend their services to the district hospitals. The State had taken several lessons from the June disaster. A State disaster response force had been set up in the State which will be trained by NDRF. The CM said that the State is working with a long-term plan regarding disasters.
A scientific plan is being prepared with the support of GSI and ASI. Appreciating the efforts made by the hospital administration, MlA Rajpur Road, Rajkumar said that Mahant Indiresh hospital has achieved success in a short duration due to dedicated work. He added that doctors of this hospital also provide free health services periodically in slum areas.
Highlighting the newly opened emergency unit of the hospital, principal of SGRR PG College, Prof VA Bourai, said that this 25-bed trauma emergency unit is equipped with modern medical facilities like operation theatre, X-Ray, Ultrasound, Surgical ICU, medical ICU and critical cardiac care unit.
He added that a total of 10,000 operations have been conducted by the neuro surgery department of the hospital. He said that doctors team of the hospital also organise free health camps in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh with more than one lakh people being provided free services in such camps so far. Narendranagar MlA Subodh Uniyal, Additional Medical Superintendent Dr VK Bihari and others were present on the occasion.