Tamil CS directs collectorNadu s to keep a watch on hospitals

Chennai: Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena has urged all district collectors to periodically inspect taluk headquarters hospitals and sub district hospitals with a view to ensuring the welfare and health of the people of the State.

In a letter to the collectors on Saturday, the Chief Secretary recalled earlier letters especially on the inspection of Anganwadi centers and PHC and said that a collective effort was imperative in keeping a close watch on the functioning of health care institutions.

Since taluk and sub district hospitals played a pivotal role in extending health care and medical services to people by serving as the crucial link between primary and secondary care, he called upon the collectors to focus on certain aspects during inspections to ensure that the hospitals performed optimally, providing best possible health care.  

Among those aspects that the collectors should evaluate during inspections were the efficiency and responsiveness of casualty services and if  timely and appropriate care were provided to emergency cases.

The capacity of the hospital to handle the outpatients should be monitored and assessed and the number of surgeries performed should be reviewed in the light of the availability of specialist doctors and the number of surgeries the  hospital was expected to perform.

Other things that should be looked into include bed occupancy and optimal utilization of resources and efficient care given to the  patients, the number of deliveries and the quality of maternal care provided.

The Chief Secretary also stressed on the need for collectors to monitor the provision of family planning surgeries, ensure that proper counseling and services were made available and the level of care provided to newborns and their mothers with emphasis on proper neonatal care protocols.

Reviewing vaccination programs and their execution, emphasizing the importance of  immunization for disease, ensuring adequate stock of blood and proper management of blood bank resources and monitoring the availability and dispensation of essential medications to patients and promoting a  consistent supply of necessary drugs were some of the other areas the Chief Secretary emphasized on.

Hospital infrastructure and maintenance, general hygiene, sanitation, toilet cleanliness  and water availability should be given special attention during inspections and the functionality and maintenance of electro-medical equipment should be checked to ensure that they were in good working condition.

Other things to be evaluated in hospitals included proper disposal of medical waste in accordance with established guidelines, availability of doctors, nurses, and para-medical staff to provide quality care has to be evaluated and the functioning of the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.

The Chief Secretary told the District Collectors that the dedication in these  inspections would undoubtedly contribute to the continued improvement of the healthcare  system and by upholding these standards, commitment to the well-being of the citizens and  the advancement of the state's healthcare services would be demonstrated.

He stressed on the importance of submitting a compliance report by District Collectors to the Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) promptly after each inspection.