Chief Minister Harish Rawat has asked Government officials to check whether senior and experienced pharmacists can be permitted to administer Schedule H medicines for treatment of general ailments in remote areas of the State.
The Chief Minister gave this instruction while chairing a meet with officials of the health and medical treatment department late on Friday night to discuss facilitation of necessary health services and measures for resolving the shortage of doctors in the State.
Addressing department officials, the Chief Minister directed that vacant posts of pharmacists should be filled as soon as possible. The medical recruitment board formed in the past for this purpose should start the recruitment process. The CM also directed officials to take necessary steps for resolving the shortage of radiologists and anaesthetists in the State especially in the mountainous regions.
Rawat said that ASHA workers also have an important contribution in the facilitation of health services of the State. The department should ensure disbursement of the allowance to all the ASHA workers as per the announcement made in the past.
The CM further directed officials to ascertain whether it is possible to accord permission to senior pharmacists with more than 15 years work experience, to administer those medicines listed under Schedule H which are not very harmful at hospitals in remote areas of the State.
In addition to this the department should conduct three to six months long training courses for pharmacists in primary health care and first aid. Top priority should be accorded to identifying areas comparatively deprived of health services and facilitating the required medical service in the said areas.
The chief secretary Shatrughna Singh, chief principal secretary Rakesh Sharma, principal secretary Om Prakash, secretary Bhupinder Kaur Aulakh and other officials were also present in the meeting.