Greater Kashmir, Srinagar, Publish Date: Jun 13 2015 9:42PM
The health expert said that it is high time that healthcare is subjected to stringent quality checks.
Despite the substantial amount sanctioned and allotted, the successive governments have failed to subject the healthcare institutions to standardization and quality checks as could be gauged from the fact that no hospital in Jammu and Kashmir is accredited by National Accredition Board of Hospitals (NABH).
Every successive government comes with its own set of rules but all fall short in ensuring that theses hospitals meet the levels set by NABH.
“A lot is talked about upgradation and creation of new, world-class institutes but when it comes to quality checks, we are a failure,” said a doctor, who is serving as hospital administrator.
The health expert said that it is high time that healthcare is subjected to stringent quality checks. “Otherwise, we cannot say whether the tertiary care institute is any better than a PHC,” he said.
In June 2010, the process for accreditation of ten hospitals in the state was initiated with the release of the first installment of the funds by the Health and Medical Education Department to Quality Council of India.
According to sources, Rs 43 lakh had already been transferred by the state to QCI but the project of accreditation was left half-way with no attempt made afterwards to take it to a logical conclusion. The QCI conducted a workshop and spent three days with each of the hospitals put up for accreditation. This activity followed by a gap assessment analysis and report.
The second installment of funds was released with the ‘gap assessment report’ submission but the gaps were never filled.
“Planning department had allocated Rs. 83 lakh for accreditation of J&K hospitals but many years have passed by and no one has asked what happened to the funds thus allocated,” sources said. The scheduled date, as per the plan and performa of QCI, for application for NABH accreditation was set to be August 1, 2011. However, the official apathy is such that not only was the date missed but the issue was pushed under the rugs.
However, officials in QCI, wishing anonymity said there was ‘lack of interest’ on part of J&K hospitals put up for accreditation. “There were just two hospitals, and not very big ones, that were keen on identifying gaps and working on filling these. Rest pursued the proceedings half heartedly.” The official said that after the initial high-paced phase, no further funds were transferred and no efforts were made. “They just slept over it,” the official said.
Recently, Director Health Services Jammu has written to the planning department seeking an additional Rs. 2 crore and 46 lakh for filling the gaps identified in the gap assessment activity of QCI. And, as per sources, a similar amount was also sought by Director Health Services Kashmir and the two government medical colleges of the state.
“We also have to look at the damage caused by floods to the infrastructure. We have been pushed far behind. Filling gaps identified by QCI is another aspect, first we need to look at gaps created by floods,” said a GMC doctor. The hospitals selected for accredition were JLNM Hospital, LD Hospital, GB Pant Hospital, SMGS Hospital and Government Hospital Jammu, District Hospitals of Baramulla, Kathua, Udhampur and Anantnag, CHC Pampore and SDH Akhnoor.
