Gear up resources for winters: DHSK to officials

Srinagar, Oct 22: The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) Saturday asked all the Chief Medical officers (CMO), Medical Superintendents (MS) and Block Medical Officers (BMO) to gear up its resources in advance to ensure better health facilities, electricity back up, availability of drugs for the coming winter so that the patients do not face problems.
The district level officers of the Health Department have been directed to follow the orders in letter and spirit, reads a circular issued by Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK).
The circular issued by DHSK reads that in view of early start of winter (cold weather conditions) in Kashmir Division, all the Chief Medical Officers/Medical Superintendents/Block Medical Officers are hereby impressed upon to mobilize and gear-up all resources in advance in terms of doctors, paramedics, availability of drugs in sufficient quantity, readiness of fleet of ambulances, ensuring power backup and arrangements in all government health care institutions across the valley.
According to the order, the early mobilization is done so that the patients coming to the health care institutions are managed easily and to avoid any referrals to tertiary care hospitals, especially when all the roads remain cut off during snow in valley.
Besides, the officials have been directed to follow the directions already circulated by the Directorate in letter and spirit regarding setting-up of control rooms at district headquarters as well as at block level to manage any eventuality that may arise.
The officials have also been directed to ensure that all the drugs are available in all the hospitals, in addition to ensuring the availability of doctors and paramedical staff in the hospital 24×7, the order read.
The directorate through its circular further reiterated that the border and hard to reach areas, which remain cut off during winters have adequate medicines supplies/emergency drugs/oxygen cylinders, in order to meet any eventuality and also ensure that maximum staff posted there belong to that area.
Moreover, the districts have been told to ensure that necessary arrangements like placing of curtains on doors and windows in government health facilities, covering of windows with polythene wherever needed to keep the hospital warm.