Taking strong note of the reports of non-availability of specialist doctors in the far-flung and rural areas, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday sought a status report within a week from the concerned department.

She also directed posting of requisite staff at the places where they are needed the most. The Chief Minister gave these directions during a meeting to strengthen the availability of doctors and medical facilities in rural and far-flung areas following her feedback from people who met her during her public outreach programmes recently, an official spokesperson here this evening said.

He said Ms Mehbooba recently visited districts of Ramban, Kargil, Kupwara, Pulwama and Budgam during her public outreach programmes in which people had complained of non availability of doctors at the health centers in the far-flung and distant areas. The Chief Minister directed taking action against the doctors who do not report to duty in these areas. Besides, she also directed strengthening of the facilities by way of diagnostic equipment, ambulances, and other testing facilities at the hospitals in rural and far-flung areas. Ms. Mehbooba also directed proper and adequate strengthening of district hospitals by way of posting of specialist doctors, in particular gynecologists, anaesthetists, and pediatricians.

She said strengthening of district hospitals would provide a one stop healthcare facility to people from all across in the district on one side, it would also enable lessening the burden on tertiary care hospitals in capital cities, thereby relieving patients of traveling long distances for treatment. The Chief Minister directed the construction and proper maintenance of residential quarters for doctors at District and Sub District Hospitals. For this, she directed the preparation of a prototype design with all the facilities of a decent living to be replicated all across. She said that till such time these residential quarters are ready, adequate rented accommodation be provided to specialist doctors to stay put at these places. In a related follow-up action on her public outreach programme at Ramban and Banihal two days ago, the Chief Minister has asked the Minister for Education to speed up the process of filling up of posts of Teachers, Masters and other vacancies in Education Department in the Ramban District.

The people at Ramban had complained to the Chief Minister of vacant positions in Education Department at these levels and sought filling up of the same to strengthen the learning process in the district, he added.