*Reviews action plan on food safety
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 19: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today chaired a meeting to comprehensively review the quality and standards of nursing education across the Union Territory, emphasizing that nursing forms the backbone of the healthcare delivery system.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Health & Medical Education; Principals of GMC Jammu and Srinagar; Chairperson, J&K Allied & Healthcare Council (A&HCC); Registrar, J&K Nursing Council; Principals of Nursing Colleges, and other senior officers.
During the review, the Chief Secretary took stock of the functioning of newly established Nursing Colleges across districts, including the range of courses offered and the enrolment of students. He directed that diploma-level courses should be progressively upgraded to degree and postgraduate programmes in order to build advanced capacities in the nursing sector.
He further instructed for early completion and operationalization of Nursing Colleges at Sopore, Kulgam, Shopian, and Budgam, besides exploring the feasibility of establishing such colleges at few left out districts. The Chief Secretary also stressed on the need to phase out obsolete courses that do not contribute meaningfully to patient care, and to introduce new courses aligned with emerging healthcare needs.
Reviewing the functioning of the recently established J&K State Allied & Healthcare Council (SA&HC), the Chief Secretary directed that it be further strengthened with adequate manpower and robust monitoring mechanisms, in line with the National Commission for Allied & Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) guidelines and checklists for institutional readiness.
Reiterating the Government’s commitment, the Chief Secretary emphasized that strengthening nursing education and allied healthcare systems is pivotal for enhancing patient care, meeting the growing healthcare demands, and creating a skilled workforce to serve the people of J&K.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary chaired an inter-departmental coordination meeting to review the comprehensive action plan on food safety across the Union Territory.
The review comes in the backdrop of recent seizures of substandard meat and dairy products in different parts of the UT, raising serious concerns over food adulteration and public safety.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, FCS&CA; Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD; Secretary, H&ME; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu/ Kashmir; Secretary, Law; Commissioner, FSD; Director, FCS&CA, Jammu/Kashmir; DG, Budget; DirectorHealth, Jammu/Kashmir besides other senior officers.
During the deliberations, the Chief Secretary directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to take stringent action against unlabelled and non-standard packaged food items, particularly imported products that fail to specify ingredients and product details, terming such practices as blatant violations of law.
He took a detailed appraisal of the action plan prepared by the Food Safety Wing in collaboration with key departments, including Housing & Urban Development, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and District Administration. The plan lays out both immediate and long-term measures to eradicate the entry of substandard food items into J&K and ensure strict compliance with food safety norms.
Chief Secretary emphasized that effective inter-departmental coordination will be the cornerstone of this initiative. He directed all concerned departments to work in close synergy to ensure that only safe, hygienic, and quality food reaches the markets.
The post CS for strengthening nursing education, calls it backbone of healthcare system appeared first on Daily Excelsior.