Bijay Charak
Early Times Report
Jammu, May 24: The Indian System of Medicines (ISM) department of state is totally neglected by state government, as the manpower of 17 Ayush units has not been sanctioned despite lapse of ten years since its establishment.
Reliable sources in department concern informed Early Times that these Ayush units were established by government in all major Allopathic hospitals and Medical Colleges of state including Medical College Jammu, District Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Udhampur, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua, Pulwama, Shopian, Handwara, Budgam, JLNM hospital Khanyar, Anantnag, Baramulla and two units of tehsil Bhaderwah including Drudo and Baloot but staff positions have not been sanctioned so far.
Couple of years back, the department had forwarded a list of sanctioned posts of around 12oo Ayurvedic/Unani doctors to government but astoundingly it was rejected. Again department has forwarded a list of 600posts but till date government reply is awaited.
It seems that government is not interested to fill the vacant posts of doctors, Pharmacists in Ayush institutions which were established across the state. At present the Ayush institutions are running with a Medical Officer, two Pharmacists, and a Class IV need-based employee, and others are being run only by Pharmacists, which also violates Indian Public Health Standard guidelines.
As per norms, an Ayush unit should have three doctors of Ayurvedic, three of Unani and three Pharmacists including a senior Pharmacist for store, four numbers of FMPHW employees for Panchkarma, two male and two female, but the guidelines are not being followed in state.
It is pertinent to mention here that the state government has earned praise at the National platform for better healthcare services, but on the contrary nothing has been done to strengthen health care facilities. |
