In order to ensure that doctors posted in remote Naxal areas stick to their duties, the State Government is planning to give extra allowance to them. Chief Minister Raghubar Das, while holding a review meeting with the health officials, directed to formulate a health policy for the State on the lines of other States in the country.
Stressing on filling up of the vacant posts in the Health Department, the Chief Minister said that care must be taken for providing all facilities to the health staff along with the doctors so that they may serve the people with devotion. Das also stressed on strengthening health services by providing all facilities at the Government health centres for common men.
Taking stock of the problems related to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the CM asked the concerned officials to ensure that the guidelines issued by the Medical Council of India were followed strictly. According to Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi, a proposal for ensuring better availability of doctors was also discussed at large during the meeting.
"We are thinking of giving some special packages to the doctors posted at the remote Naxal areas in the form of allowance," said the Health Minister. "If still, they are not found at the place of their postings, strict action will be taken against them," added Chandravanshi.
Furthermore, it was also stressed that RIMS should be developed on the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi by upgrading the facilities available here in the hospital. "I am holding a meeting with the RIMS administrative unit on Saturday where proposals in this regard are passed to expedite the process of developing RIMS on the lines of AIIMS," said the Minister.
The CM also directed the officials to ensure better health service in remote areas of the State on priority basis. "Health services are the basic need for which all must work together with sensitivity," Das said. "Officials as well as the workers will have to change their mindset as traditional ways of working and red-tape will not do any more," he added.
The CM further directed to first ensure its feasibility of operation before purchasing the medical instruments as finishing the funds should not be the objective while it should be first ensured that the common people gets benefitted out of it. The CM, stressing on ensuring adequate medicine supply to the remote areas, also asked the officials to distribute medicated mosquito nets, use of fogging machines as well as regular tests for malaria in such areas.
During the meeting, the issues of setting up of three new medical colleges, Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital, ANM and GNM School, health centres, warehouses as well as postmortem house, burn unit, sickle cell anemia were also discussed. The CM also said that Panchayat-level hospitals should also be connected with Tele-medical services ensuring better facility of blood bank in the State.
For filling up vacant posts in the Health Department, as many as recruitment of 10,000 personnel, including doctors, nurses, technicians and fourth grade employees will also be done so that there does not be a dearth of staff in the department.
In addition, health centres across the State will also be strengthened providing adequate doctors, nursing staff, technicians, medicines along with the other infrastructural facilities so that the common man does not have to suffer any more, the Minister added.
"Construction of boundary wall of RIMS must be completed soon and the time limit must be fixed for the visitors who come here to see the patients. Proper cleanliness must be maintained here ensuring bed to bed food on time," said the CM. No compromise will be accepted with the nutrition of food supplied to the patients for whom more funds could be made available if needed, added the CM.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjay Kumar, Secretary to CM Sunil Burnawal, Principal Secretary of health department K Vidyasagar, Director in Chief Sumant Mishra along with the other officials of the Health Department.