Improving healthcare services a priority for government: CM
Shimla: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed to promote research in the medical colleges of the State to offer better health care facilities to the patients. While presiding over a meeting of the Health department here on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that research in the medical sector is paramount and a dedicated research department would be established in the IGMC, Shimla in the first phase and later the initiative would be replicated in the other medical colleges across the State.
The Chief Minister said that the present state government remains committed to strengthen the diagnostic services in the health institutions to ensure timely and accurate diagnostics services to provide early treatment. He said that directions had been given to conduct instant diagnostic tests like MRI, CT Scan and X-rays etc. without any waiting period for the patients.
Sukhu also stressed on conducting in-house blood tests and said that the state government has released Rs. 75 crore for setting up of automated labs in the three medical colleges viz. Atal Institute of Medical Super specialties Chamiyana, IGMC Shimla and Tanda medical college so that multiple tests could be done simultaneously using a single blood sample. He said that tenders have been floated to procure machines for establishing these labs. He said that there is no paucity of funds for upgrading the health infrastructure and the state government would provide all-out support for strengthening medical facilities.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is also contemplating to procure quality medicines directly from the manufacturing companies to ensure better availability and standards and necessary directions have been given in this regard. He said that the government is also making efforts to provide improved working conditions at the workplace to the doctors and other medical and para-medical staff.
Sukhu said that reforms in the medical sector are being carried out following interactions with faculties and doctors of various medical colleges across the State and their suggestions have already been incorporated into the reform process. He said that he would soon visit medical colleges to interact with them. Improving the health care sector and offering world class health care services to the patients within the State is a priority for the government, stated the Chief Minister.
MLAs Kuldeep Rathore and Harish Janartha, Secretary Health Ashish Singhmar and other senior officers attended the meeting.
