Jammu and Kashmir: Govt extends services of retiring doctors

Frontline workers of Health & Medical Education Department, J&K are rendering valuable services in the challenging Covid pandemic times for saving precious lives of the patients, observed the Lt Governor.

Although the services rendered by these Covid warriors cannot be compensated, still the UT Government has decided to incentivize their efforts, the Lt Governor added. Incentives are exclusively for those frontline workers who directly deal with Covid-19 patients.

The decision will benefit more than 17,000 Corona warriors including Resident Doctors, Medical Officers, Paramedical/Nursing staff, Drivers and Class IV employees.

The incentive will be Rs 10,000 p.m. for Resident doctors, PGs and Medical Officers; Rs 7,000 p.m. for Nursing and Paramedical staff, and Rs 5,000 p.m. for Drivers, Sweepers and Attendants.

The tenure of these incentives shall be initially for a period of 03 months and will be paid from May 2021 onwards. In view of surge in Covid-19 cases and to give a fillip to available medical services at this crucial juncture, the Lt Governor also granted extension up to 31st December, 2021 in favour of the Faculty Members, Consultants, Doctors working in SKIMS, Soura, Srinagar/Bemina; Government Medical Colleges and Health department who are going to retire from May, 2021 to November, 2021.

The tenure in respect of the doctors presently undergoing various tenure postings viz Registrarship, Demonstratorship, Fellowship, Senior/Junior Residency etc in SKIMS, Soura, Srinagar/Bemina; Government Medical Colleges of the Union Territory have also been extended up to 31st December, 2021.

The decision was taken to optimally utilize the experiences of these medical professionals to effectively deal with the evolving Covid situation.

LG reviews Covid control measures:

In order to strengthen Covid control efforts across the Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today directed for constituting Covid Management teams consisting of DC, SP, CMO, other senior officers including Principal of the concerned Government Medical College at District level, wherever available, besides local monitoring teams at Block level, Tehsil Level and Panchayat level, for effective Covid management.

The Lieutenant Governor was chairing a meeting with Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police from across the UT, through virtual mode to review the Covid scenario in J&K. Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor; BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Dilbag Singh, DGP; Arun Kumar Mehta, Financial Commissioner, Finance Department; Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education; Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary to the Government, Home Department; Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department and Information Department; Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Government, Public Works (R&B) Department; Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Mukesh Singh, ADGP; Pandurang K Pole, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Dr. Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir; Choudhary Mohammad Yasin, Mission Director, NHM and HoDs of various departments attended the meeting, in person and through virtual mode. During the meeting, the Lt Governor emphasized on enhanced coordination of officers at district level along with constitution of local monitoring teams.

While reviewing the district-wise status of Covid control measures, the Lt Governor directed the district administrations for speeding up the Vaccination drive, besides intensifying testing and contacts tracing across the Union Territory.

The Lt Governor asked the DCs and SPs to maintain effective synergy for strict enforcement of restrictions in the areas being declared as Micro Containment Zones and ensure proper functioning of Covid Control rooms in every District.

“Keep strict vigil on black marketing and rates of essentials, and ensure stern action against those involved in hoarding of essentials & medicines. Every officer should remain available, through online mode also, for providing public utilities and ensuring that important & routine works do not suffer during restrictions and public do not face any inconvenience,” Lt Governor instructed the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police.

The Lt Governor directed the concerned officers for ensuring implementation of an effective Covid Management plan from District level to the villages at Panchayat level.

Emphasizing on proper functionality of oxygen generation plants, the Lt Governor asked the Divisional Commissioners to keep a close monitoring on functioning of these oxygen generation plants, besides ensuring uninterrupted 24×7 power supply to the oxygen plants and an alternative backup of oxygen supply.

During the meeting, Chief Secretary briefed that two divisional level Committees have been constituted to ensure proper and judicious utilization of Oxygen supply, audit of the availability and consumption of oxygen in all hospitals across UT, assess the requirement of each hospital, besides the amount of back up and buffer stock required. It was also informed that three war rooms have also been set up under the chairmanship of Secretary, Industries & Commerce to coordinate and ensure supply of oxygen and check hoarding.

The Lt Governor directed the Health department to ensure the availability of Doctors through online mode for all patients (Covid and Non Covid) to provide them necessary medical advice.

The Lt Governor further suggested for roping in religious leaders and elected representatives for creating awareness among the people regarding the advisories and SOPs of Union Health Ministry and J&K’s Health department to combat Covid-19 spread.

While stressing upon the efforts to reach out to the people with correct information, the Lt Governor directed the Deputy Commissioners and SPs to provide factual information on Covid situation to counter miscreants at the District level itself.

Directions were also passed to the concerned officers for completion of the payments under MGNREGA within 10 days instead of 15 days, on priority basis, besides ensuring continuous extension of pensions and benefits of various beneficiary oriented schemes.

The Lt Governor also shared with all DCs and SPs, the decisions and suggestions brought out during an Apex Group meeting.

He stressed for judicious and rational admission of Covid patients from level-1 and level-2 hospitals to level-3 hospitals.