Jammu, Sep06: Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar, on Tuesday convened a meeting to review palliative healthcare in District Hospitals across Jammu and Kashmir.
Among others, Mission Director, National Health Mission, J&K, Choudhary Mohammad Yasin, Directors Health Services Jammu and Kashmir and Principals of all the Government Medical Colleges besides other senior officers attended the meeting.
After threadbare discussion, Secretary directed for training of at least 4 Medical Officers and 4 Nurses in Certified Course in Essentials of Palliative Care (CCEPC) from each district who will further act as District Resource Persons as well as care givers for Palliative Care.
Secretary asked both the Directors to ensure that the training is completed within a period of one month besides making sure OPD and IPD services for Palliative Care in all the District Hospitals of J&K.
He instructed the Principals GMC Jammu and Srinagar to take necessary steps for creation of both the GMCs as centers of excellence for Palliative Care.
Secretary also asked Mission Director NHM to increase the capacity of resource persons for training of ASHAs, FMPHWs and MLHPs on Palliative Care who shall become the healthcare providers in the peripheries and also act as an important link between the patients and Palliative Care Centers.
He directed for providing requisite funds for training in Palliative Care to both the GMCs and Directorates of Health Services through NHM.
Secretary reviews functioning of J&K AIDS Control Society
Jammu, Sep 06: Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar on Tuesday reviewed the functioning of J&K AIDS Control Society, Department of Health and Medical Education.
The Kashmir based officials attended the meeting through video conferencing.
Dr. Samir Mattoo, Project Director AIDS Control Society, presented a brief description of working of the Society in the region.
Secretary instructed the officers to further streamline functioning of the Society besides asking for increasing the HIV testing especially among pregnant women and high risk group population so that the disease can be contained effectively. He further asked them to ensure that voluntary blood donation is further raised so as to cater to the need of safe blood in times of emergencies.
Secretary directed JK AIDS Control Society to start reporting on Strengthening Overall Care for HIV beneficiaries (SOCH) Portal developed by National AIDS control Society, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in order to streamline the process of end to end reporting.
Regarding provision of financial assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS, he directed that the funds should be transferred through DBT mode as soon as possible. He also directed the Society to put up the demand regarding funds for providing financial assistance to these people in the current year besides simplifying the procedure for availing such financial aid by the PLHIVs.
