Uttarakhand: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan reviewed the condition of the district and sub-district hospitals of the state with the District Magistrates, expressed displeasure over the referral system

Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan reviewed the status of district and sub-district hospitals in the state through video conferencing with District Magistrates at the Secretariat on Monday. The Chief Secretary expressed displeasure over the referral system in government hospitals. He instructed all the District Magistrates to provide treatment for the facilities available in the district and sub-district hospitals in the same hospitals. He said that only those critically ill and injured patients who cannot be treated in district hospitals and sub-district hospitals should be referred to higher centers.

The Chief Secretary directed that all types of general and important tests should be started compulsorily in all district hospitals. He said that deployment of microbiologists should also be ensured in all district hospitals soon, so that important tests like urine culture can also be started in government hospitals. He said that only those tests should be done through outsourced agencies which cannot be done in district hospitals. For this, he has given instructions to strengthen the district hospitals as well as increase their capacity. He summoned a report from the Health Department on the facilities available in all the district and sub-district hospitals of the state, the status of doctors, paramedical staff and availability of equipment.

The Chief Secretary has also directed to immediately replace the old 108 ambulances and departmental ambulances. He said that an analysis of all the 108 ambulances and departmental ambulances operating across the state should be done and the old and damaged vehicles should be replaced soon. He said that the process of replacing ambulances should be started soon.

The Chief Secretary has also directed the Health Secretary to build one IVF facility and one trauma center each in the hilly areas of Kumaon and Garhwal. He said that instructions have been given to start both these facilities in the hilly areas soon.

During the meeting, Secretary Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar gave detailed information about the facilities available in the district hospitals and sub-district hospitals in the state.

On this occasion, Principal Secretary R.K. Sudhanshu, L. Fanayi, R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretary Shailesh Bagauli, Nitesh Kumar Jha, Radhika Jha, Sachin Kurve, Dilip Jawalkar, Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam, Ravinath Raman, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Chandresh Kumar Yadav, Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar, Vinod Kumar Suman, Commissioner Kumaon Deepak Kumar, Commissioner Garhwal Vinay Shankar Pandey along with other senior officers and all District Magistrates were present through video conferencing from the districts.