Salary of Doctors to be withheld who don’t join their original post
NAVVNEET DUBEY
Jammu: The people of Jammu epically residing along with International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) will receive improved healthcare facilities in coming days. Specialists will be appointed in these areas and diagnostic facilities will be enhanced as the Directorate of Health, Jammu has been taking measures to ensure such facilities are put in place.
Recently, after Pakistan’s shelling in border areas, Director Health Services Jammu, Dr. Abdul Hamid Zargar, visited Poonch and Rajouri districts to assess the facilities. In Jammu division, three districts – Kathua, Samba, and Jammu – are located near the international border, while Rajouri and Poonch are near the Line of Control.
All these districts have several Primary Health Centers, Sub-District Hospitals, and District Hospitals, but most of them face a shortage of doctors and other healthcare staff. The Chowkichaura Trauma Hospital, located just a few kilometers from the Line of Control, also lacks staff and facilities.
In the event of any disaster, the injured are brought to the medical colleges in these districts for treatment, with Government Medical College Jammu receiving the largest number of casualties. To prevent this, efforts are being made to enhance facilities in border area hospitals.
“Health Director Jammu, Dr. Abdul Hamid Zargar, told that many doctors with postgraduate degrees are currently posted at centers where their skills are not being utilized. These doctors will be redeployed to district and sub-district hospitals. Specialist doctors will be appointed at border area hospitals, so patients don’t need to travel to other hospitals for treatment.
Dr. Zargar said he is personally assessing the facilities at hospitals in these areas. He visited Rajouri and Poonch districts during the shelling and will review facilities in other districts, taking steps to improve them.
The Urban Health Centers in Jammu’s urban areas will also be assessed for staff strength and patient load. Based on the assessment, staff will be deployed to these centers as needed. All hospitals in Jammu division have been instructed to send attached staff back to their parent departments. Those who fail to report to their original post will face salary deductions. Steps will be taken to improve healthcare facilities.
