Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 17:
After the Union Health Minister announced free medical treatment at RIMS for families belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the State Health Department has also started preparations to provide free medicines to BPL families while undergoing treatment in Government hospitals.
Speaking to some media persons at his office chamber today, Minister of Health Pheiroijam Parijat said that in accordance to the instruction of Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss to implement NRHM properly and effectively, a joint meeting of Deputy Commissioners, Chief Medical Officers and officials of district Health Missions has been convened on June 2 .
Besides focus on effective implementation of the NRHM, the meeting would also study provision of free medicines to patients holding BPL cards while undergoing treatment in JN Hospital and other Govt hospitals, Parijat said.
To install a CT Scan machine at JN Hospital within a short time, necessary procedures have been initiated to issue supply order for the machine.
The CT Scan machine will be procured from Japan, the Minister informed.
Under the JN Hospital Management Society, essential drugs worth Rs 3 lakhs will be procured every month starting from June.
The Health Department has also started work on procuring drugs for Rs 10 lakhs.
Necessary preparations have also been made to stock drugs for Rs 5 lakhs each in every district hospital and drugs of monetary value Rs 2 lakhs each in every Primary Health Centre and Community Health Centre under the National Rural Mission, stated Parijat adding that these drugs will be made available free of cost to patients holding BPL cards.
Stating that adequate quantity of drugs will be bought and stockpiled in all the Government hospitals every year under the Rural Health Mission, the Minister informed that necessary works have been initiated to build a hospital having capacity of 50 beds each in Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Jiribam and Senapati.
Estimating that each hospital may cost Rs 14 to 15 crores, Parijat said that the MPSC will be entrusted to recruit 60 doctors to ameliorate the problem of shortage of doctors.
If the recruitment process through MPSC would take much time, some doctors may be recruited on contract basis according to need.