Shailaja vows to spruce Kerala health care

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking cue from the Cuban model of family health care, Kerala will have a model suitable to the state. Apart from ensuring facilities for emergency care at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Health and Social Justice Minister K K Shailaja promises a new health policy for the state by creating an e-Health Register and setting up Family Health Centres (FHC).She has also assured proper policy level intervention through Social Justice Department to check abuse and trafficking of children and women.
The revised state budget has set aside Rs 1000 crore package for health which would go a long way in modernisation of hospitals, she said, while speaking at the 'Minister on a Mission' programme organised by Times of India on Thursday. By creating an e-Health Register with the central support of Rs 9 crore, Kerala will be the first state in the country to implement it.
She also brought out the challenges faced by the state to retain doctors in government hospitals at relatively lesser pay compared to private hospitals, even if hospitals are modernised with latest equipment. Though the health department had advertised for 700 vacancies for doctors and 200 candidates were given the appointment advice, only 24 doctors had joined duty and many left unwilling to work at remote locations in Kasaragod, citing their health and family reasons to stay in Thiruvananthapuram.
After medical post-graduation, the doctors are legally bound to serve for three years in a remote location but that clause is confronted by them indicating their preference to continue with research. Now, the state plans to ensure that all medicos after post-graduation are appointed by government hospitals. All attempts will be made to address public health, particularly health care needs of the marginalised women of tribal community and the physically challenged, she said.
The state with central government support plans to undertake a proper health survey to create a Health Register and the project will begin initially in seven districts of the state. In addition to PHCs, Family Health Care centres will help address the health and medical needs of the people through regular check-up, monitoring till restoration of normalcy through medicines and advise for proper food intake, exercise, yoga and rest, the Minister said. She also assured to look into ways to check food adulteration as part of food security.
“Proper medical literacy and awareness has to be there to prevent outbreak of diseases during monsoon. Diphtheria has claimed a life in Kerala which is a reminder to lack of proper immunisation and mosquito control measure which is equally a social responsibility. Maintaining cleanliness and prevention of water-logging is a must to check mosquito breeding,” she said.
The minister also assured to strengthen Nirbhaya shelter homes and to ensure proper functioning of one-stop crisis management centres to ensure all services including legal, medical and counselling support at one place for the victims of abuse and trafficking. Working conditions of the women need to be improved by ensuring proper toilets and other basic facilities. She also indicated the need for proper intervention to check exploitation of women and children at Ayurveda massage parlours at tourist places such as Kovalam.