This is true that our health-care system is weak, ailing and crumbling. It needs healing and proper treatment. Not only is it the case of health sector but of other departments as well, for instance education department. Many times these departments have fallen victims of politics with unnecessary transfer of staff and/or machinery from one place to other. Government should prioritize health care and education sectors like that in the developed countries. This can be done by giving due attention to these sectors and spending a good amount of money on these departments. Due to lack of expert staff & necessary equipments in the hospitals, patients face tremendous inconvenience and have to wait for several days to get themselves treated.
Government can play a major role in alleviating the ailing health care of the valley. It should make right decisions at right time and, more importantly, it should implement them without delay. Release of funds should be on timely, besides upgrading the infra-structure from time to time. Government ought to look keenly into the functioning of the health institutions and develop proper management system for efficient and smooth running of these institutions. Increasing the staff, both medical and paramedical, in order to overcome the problems of over-crowding and huge rush, shortage of man power etc. More health institutions should be built with proper staff and facilities to cater to the health needs of ever increasing population. Doctors especially specialists should be available all the time in the hospitals. Besides doctors, other vital and expert staff like Pharmacists, Nurses, Technicians, etc should be increased in number and quality. Only professionals of their respective fields should be employed for the benefit of the masses. Government should frame proper and comprehensive health care and drug policies and then implement them without any delay in letter and spirit. There should be more frequent surprise visits by the concerned minister(s) and senior officers to these institutions to check their proper functioning. There should be proper co-ordination, referral system and transport facilities (like critical care ambulances) among the PHCs, SDH and tertiary care hospitals.

Mohammad Arif Dar is pursuing M. Pharm in Pharmacology from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir. Feedback at mohammadarif105@gmail.com

Lastupdate on : Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST