LG joins virtually from Jammu, Dr Jitendra in Basohli
Jammu, Feb 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid foundation stone of 13 Critical Care Blocks (CCBs) in Jammu and Kashmir to be constructed at the cost of Rs 350.25 crore and inaugurated six Food Safety on Wheels in the UT procured at the cost of Rs 2.63 cr through virtual mode from Rajkot in Gujarat.
LG Manoj Sinha joined the function virtually from Raj Bhawan, Jammu while Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh attended the function through virtual mode from Basohli in Kathua district.
Addressing the function at Rajkot, the Prime Minister said on February 20, he inaugurated IIMs, IITs and other educational institutions in different States/UTs from Jammu while today he is inaugurating All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and other health facilities in various States/UTs from Rajkot which will benefit the people a lot.
Thirteen CCBs whose foundation stone was laid virtually by the Prime Minister from Rajkot today include 100 Bedded CCU each for Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and District Hospital (DH) Budgam, and 50 Bedded CCU each for DH Shopian, Jhelum Valley Medical College (SKIMS) Bemina, GMC Baramulla, GMC Rajouri, GMC Kathua, DH Kulgam, DH Pulwama, DH Reasi, DH Poonch, DH Kupwara and Primary Health Centre (PHC) Sonamarg.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for strengthening the Critical Health Care and Emergency Response System in the UT of Jammu Kashmir.
The Lt Governor wrote on X:
“PM Narendra Modi today virtually laid the foundation stone of 13 Critical Care Blocks at the district hospitals across J&K & dedicated 6 Mobile Food Safety labs, 3 each in Jammu & Kashmir divisions. It is a momentous occasion for UT’s health sector”.
He said the projects under Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) & COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package Phase-II will make crucial & standard health facilities available to all the citizens”.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated Food Safety on Wheels (FSWs) and Microbiological Section established in various States/UTs including Jammu and Kashmir out of the funds provided by FSSAI under Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Six FSWs for Jammu and Kashmir have been procured at the cost of Rs 2.63 crore and have been made operational by the virtue of internal arrangement of drivers/analysts engaged on outsource basis, out of remaining funds approved under Work plan for the State owned by FSWs by the FSSAI.
The FSWS will be operational including one each in Jammu and Srinagar districts and one each for two rural districts of Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
The FSWs will address the issue of lack of Food Testing Infrastructure in the remote areas and also to spread awareness to the consumer and imparting training to the general public and Food Business Operators including food vendors on various aspects of food safety and hygiene practices.
“The Critical Care Units shall provide services of emergency, surgical and intensive care. Most of the critical care services are confined to tertiary care level with limited access to secondary care and referral transport systems. The top 5 causes of mortality Coronary Artery Disease, COPD, Stroke, Diarrheal Diseases, Neonatal disorders shall be managed timely at the level of these units itself. It will not only reduce the burden on tertiary care facilities but will also reduce the Out of Pocket Expenses significantly,” the officials said.
“The current architecture of the public hospitals is not equipped fully to handle the dual burden of meeting critical care needs and maintaining essential services as was seen during the two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many hospital buildings especially in districts, do not have provision for segregating a part of the building as an infectious disease treatment block/wing,” they said.
Under PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission , Government of India would support 100 and 50-bedded Critical Care Hospital Block/Wings that would be self-contained, and will be equipped with critical, supportive and ancillary services such as Emergency area, Intensive Care Units (ICU), Isolation Wards/Oxygen supported beds, Surgical unit, two labour, delivery and recovery rooms (LDRs) with one New-born care corner, the officials said.
These blocks/wings would also be supported with Medical Gas Pipeline Systems, Oxygen generation plants/ Oxygen supply, Air Handling Units (AHUs) etc. and mechanism for Infection Prevention Control, they added.
Addressing the function at Rajkot, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said development was taking place under his Government at a rate many times faster than what happened in the past six to seven decades. He emphasised that his guarantee begins from where hope ends from others.
At the function, the PM also dedicated to the nation various development works costing Rs 48,000 crore, including more than 200 health care infrastructure projects costing Rs 11,500 crore in 23 States and Union Territories.
“Modi’s guarantee begins from where hope ends from others,” he asserted, adding that even the country was saying this looking at the pace of development.
“For 50 years after Independence, there was only one AIIMS in the country, and that too in Delhi. In the seven decades since Independence, only seven AIIMS were approved but even these were never completed,” Modi said in a swipe at previous Governments.
“But in just 10 days, seven new AIIMS were either inaugurated or their foundation stones laid. That’s why I am saying that we are developing the country many times faster than what happened in the last six to seven decades and are dedicating it at the feet of the citizens,” he said.
In the past, people from different States used to get tired seeking AIIMS in their areas from the Union Government, whereas today modern hospitals and medical facilities like AIIMS are opening one after the other, he said.
Asserting that he had fulfilled his guarantee of setting up a large number of AIIMS, Modi said his Government had approved 10 AIIMS in the last 10 years.
“I had given a guarantee of (setting up) AIIMS to UP’s Raebareli. The royal family of Congress only indulged in politics in Raebareli, while the work was done by Modi,” he said.
(Daily Excelsior)
