Wednesday, 22 September 2021 | Gajendra Singh Negi | Dehradun
Action taken on complaints that ventilators and diagnostic machines purchased during pandemic period are lying unused.
Taking cognizance of the complaints that the medical equipment purchased during the pandemic period is lying unused in many hospitals and health centres, the state government has constituted committees at the state and district levels for ensuring that the equipment is used for the purpose it was purchased. These committees would look into the maintenance and manpower aspects of the equipment. In an attempt to augment the health infrastructure during the pandemic period the state government had given immense financial powers to the officers of the health department and medical colleges and removed the requirement of many procedural approvals so that the required medical equipment is purchased without any delay. It however created a situation where many life saving and diagnostic machines are lying unused in the hospitals.
The medical health and higher education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat told The Pioneer on Tuesday that a three member committee headed by the chief medical officer (CMO) was concerned in all the districts. He said that this committee would submit a report on the equipment purchased and the status of their maintenance. The committee would also suggest recruitment of the manpower for operating these machines as well. The minister said that a committee would also be formed at the level of the health directorate for the purpose. He said that the officers have been asked to recruit technicians and other staff for these machines on outsource till March 2022. The minister claimed that the health department is ready and equipped to tackle the probable third wave of the pandemic of the Covid-19.
Rawat informed that all the people of the state would be vaccinated at least once till end of September this year and the target to completely vaccinate the total 18 plus population of the state would be achieved in the month of December. He said that the health department achieved the unique feat of administering one crore doses of vaccine on Monday.
Rawat, who also holds the higher education portfolio, said that the tablets would be provided to all 1.07 lakh students of the government colleges of the state before the end of December this year. He said that soon a meeting presided by the chief secretary S S Sandhu would be held on the issue and a committee would decide on the specification and type of tablet to be purchased. Rawat said that the government has decided to open at least one government college in every block of the state so that the students get the facility of higher education near their place of residence.
