H&ME Deptt fails to overcome shortage of psychiatrists
No major progress on telemedicine services
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 20: Notwithstanding the fact that majority of the drug addicts, who land up in the hospitals, require constant monitoring and continual treatment for a longer period under the close supervision of doctors, many District Hospitals in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are lacking Inpatient Department (IPD) facilities mainly because of the failure of the Health and Medical Education Department to overcome the shortage of psychiatrists.
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In the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued vide Government Order No. 634 JK(HME) of 2022 dated September 6, 2022, for handling of identified drug abusers under Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan, stress was laid on creation of IPD facilities in the light of the fact that with the scaling up of awareness by different Government agencies more and more addicted persons are coming forward for treatment, which simply cannot be provided in the Out-Patient Departments (OPDs).
On March 13, 2023, it was announced by the Government that OPD as well as IPD facilities under Nasha Mukt Abhiyan will be upgraded to meet the treatment requirement of drug addicts.
However, even after the lapse of nearly two years the IPD services have not been provided in all the District Hospitals of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
While OPD services are available in almost all the District Hospitals, the IPD services are confined to the Medical Colleges and few District Hospitals, sources informed while admitting the dire need of having IPD services in all the District Hospitals to provide immediate treatment to the drug addicts and ensure their constant monitoring.
“This is imperative also in the light of the fact that number of drug addicts approaching the hospitals for treatment is increasing during the past few years because of widespread awareness campaign launched by all the concerned departments and NGOs”, sources said.
Holding non-availability of sufficient number of psychiatrists responsible for non-start of IPD services in several District Hospitals, sources said, “the Health and Medical Education Department should have initiated steps in this regard keeping in view the necessity of bringing drug addicts out of the shackles of menace by giving them proper treatment”.
“Had required attention been paid towards this aspect and recruitment of psychiatrists been done well in time, IPD services could have been started in all the District Hospitals till now”, sources added.
As usual, there was no response from the Director Health Services Jammu Dr Rakesh Magotra even after repeated telephonic calls to ascertain the steps being taken for start of IPD services in left-over District Hospitals.
Meanwhile, no major progress has been made on much talked about telemedicine services for the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the hospitals of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
On March 13, 2023, the Government had announced extension of telemedicine services for Intensive Care Units. However, as per the sources, this facility is available in only few healthcare institutions of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Tele-ICU system connects ICUs with remote specialists, enabling real-time monitoring and assessment of vital signs, medical records and other important information. The primary aim is to ensure expert care for critically ill patients, facilitate prompt interventions and improve patient outcomes.
Further, despite tall claims of the Health and Medical Education Department that tele-OPD services have been made available in all the District Hospitals of the Union Territory, the people generally complaint of not receiving proper and prompt response.
“Likewise, there is no major headway on the announcement regarding strengthening of trauma care facilities in accident prone districts through optimization of infrastructure, manpower and provisioning of high-tech equipment for emergency diagnosis especially in areas like Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban even after the lapse of nearly two years”, sources informed.
They further said, “the necessity of strengthening trauma care facilities is felt only when some serious accidents take place only to be forgotten at the later stage”.
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