Health Dept to launch palliative care campaign shortly: Sukhu

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today directed the officials to identify eligible beneficiaries for palliative care with special focus on elderly persons requiring home based health care.

While presiding over a meeting of Health Department here today, he said the state government would launch a comprehensive palliative care campaign shortly, aimed at offering doorstep medical services to elderly and patients across the state.

Sukhu said ASHA workers and Community Health officers (CHOs) will identify the eligible beneficiaries and a team comprising of medical officer, physiotherapist from Aadarsh Swasthya Sansthan will visit the shortlisted beneficiaries to finalise the treatment plan. “The identification and planning process will be completed within three months of launch,” he said.

The CM said palliative and elderly care hubs would be established at Aadarsh Swasthya Sansthan, where two medical officers, two nurses, one physiotherapist and counsellor will provide health care services. The team will also visit homes of the beneficiaries quarterly to monitor and support the beneficiaries, he added.

Sukhu also reviewed Himcare and Ayushman Bharat scheme and directed to ensure seeding of the beneficiaries with Him Parivar number. He said that new Himcare applicants will be able to apply for enrolment under the scheme quarterly and cards to be issued in the last month of each quarter.

Additionally, the Principals of medical colleges and Medical Superintendent will also be empowered to recommend the issuance of Himcare cards for upto 100 critical patients within their respective hospitals.

Sukhu said that the State Government would establish new 49 dialysis centres in Aadarsh Swasthya Sansthans with an estimated cost of Rs. 41.62 crores.

Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil was also present in the meeting.

Himachal Tribune