Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, J&K’s health sector had “gone through a sea change ensuring high-quality affordable, accessible healthcare for all.”
He said that the J&K administration was spending Rs 2 crore everyday on treatment of the common people.
LG Sinha stated this after handing over an ex-gratia cheque of Rs 10 lakh each to NoK of 34 deceased National Health Mission employees.
He expressed his deepest gratitude to the families and healthcare workers of National Health Mission for their dedication and commitment to serve the people.
Paying homage to the deceased employees of NHM, the LG said, “Financial aid cannot compensate for their selfless service and sacrifice; however, it is our duty and responsibility to ensure their family members live a life of respect and dignity.”
“The spirit of selfless service, sacrifice and compassion with which our health workers, doctors, paramedics have served the people during COVID pandemic and vaccination drive is truly inspirational,” he said.
Speaking on the reforms introduced to strengthen the healthcare system, the LG said, “Continuous efforts are being made to remove the regional imbalance which existed earlier in the field of health care. J&K is performing better than the national average on several parameters. The health indicators exemplify our efforts to ensure the well being of the common citizens.”
“In our journey to achieve quality and accessible healthcare, we have taken special care to make our health services effective, people-centered and equitable,” he said.
Improved health infrastructure, expansive network of health and wellness centres, substantial increase in MBBS seats, universal health coverage, ambulance services, mobile clinics, besides decentralization of medical facilities ensured expansion of health services in remote and far-flung areas, the LG said.
“Several reforms were undertaken to implement the system of ‘Any Treatment, Anywhere, Anytime’. The ‘e-SAHAJ’ initiative entails online appointments from doctors, and digitization of patient’s medical records. As many as 575 health facilities are covered under this initiative,” he said.
“J&K administration is spending Rs 2 crore everyday on the treatment of common people and 97 percent of our population has insurance cover. SEHAT Golden cards have been provided to 80 lakh citizens, with 28,000 hospitals extending treatment facilities to them across the country. Today, dialysis facilities have been made available in all the districts. Geriatric and Pediatric wards have been established in all district hospitals,” the LG said.
Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Bhupinder Kumar said that the J&K government under the directions of the LG started J&K Contributory Corpus Funds.
“The NHM employees are provided financial assistance on account of disability or death,” he said.
A total of 34 families of deceased NHM employees were provided an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each.
Mission Director, National Health Mission, J&K, Sanjeev Gadkar assured every possible support of the department for the welfare of families of the deceased employees.