Health
6. Diplomate of National Board (DNB) Courses: For admission to
the DNB courses 2 seats each in Neurology & Physiology in Dr RPGMC Tanda and 3 seats in Gyane in SLBS GMC Mandi have been made available during the academic session 2020-21.
The Institution wise major achievements up to December, 2020 are given at Table 13.7:-
Table 13.7
Institution Facilities IGMC,
Shimla
a)Trauma Centre b) Super Specialty Block remained under construction c) Extension of Existing Cancer Hospital d) Forensic Lab and Demonstration Room e) DSA machine installed f) Kidney transplantation g) New OPD Block constructed.
RPGMC, Tanda
a)Trauma Centre (level-II) b) Mother & Child health Care Centre c) Modernization of existing sewerage treatment plant d) Center of Excellence e) Construction of Building of GNM School, MBBS Girls Hostel & PG Hostel.
YSPGMC Nahan
a) Administrative approval for 300 bedded hospital and academic block has been accorded by the Govt. b) Central PSA oxygen generation plant has been approved c) Medical gas manifold system has been made functional in the year 2021-21.
Pt.JLNGMC, Chamba
a) Administrative approval for 200 bedded hospital, hostels and residences of various categories has been accorded by the Govt. b) Procurement of 64 slice CT Scan and 1.5 Tesla MRI machine c) Central PSA oxygen generation plant approved.
RKGMC, Hamirpur
a) a) Administrative approval for 240 bedded hospital, academic block,
service block & other specialized services has been accorded by the Govt. b) Central PSA oxygen generation plant approved by the Govt.
SLBSGMC, Mandi
a) Full fledged Blood Bank became functional b) Tertiary Cancer Care Centre c) OPG with CBCT, X-Ray machines installed d) BERA Unit, OAE & Impedence Audiometery installed e)TMT & portable ECHO machine installed f) ICTC Centre, VDRL lab & CBNAAT facility.
H.P. Govt.
Dental College and Hospital Shimla
a) Facility of X-ray and Radiovisiography has been made available in almost all the departments of the Dental college for the better patient care services. b)PG course in the Oral medicine Department was got recognized by the Dental Council of India. c) 50 Dental Chairs and 12 Autoclaves were procured and installed for the various departments of the college. d) Indodontics Surgical Microscope was procured and installed in the conservative Department of the College. e) One additional X-Ray Machines and One radiovisiography Machine was procured and installed in the College.
13.34 AYUSH
Indian System of Medicines and Homoeopathy plays a vital role in the Health Care System of the State of Himachal Pradesh. The Department of Ayurveda was established in 1984, now it has been named as AYUSH Vibhag.
Health Care services are being provided to the general public through AYUSH health infrastructure in the State. To meet out this objective, State AYUSH Policy, 2019 was framed and notified on 6th November, 2019. Under this policy, 48 MoUs worth `1,323.25 crore were signed with prospective Investors in
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AYUSH Sector. Overall view of the AYUSH infrastructure is given below:
Table 13.8
Availability of AYUSH Health Infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh
Table 13.9
Major Achievements Under AYUSH
Achievements under the head
Achievements in 2020-21 (upto December, 2020)
Ayurvedic Education
BAMS seats were enhanced from 60 to 75 and Post Graduate seats were enhanced from 39 to 56 in the academic session 2020-21.
Poshan Abhiyan
A project for prevention of Anemia under Poshan Abhiyan is being run in Six Development Blocks, covering 842 villages of 118 Panchyats and this programme is still in continuation, which is funded by Women and Child Development Department:
a) Theog, District Shimla.
b) Kasuli, District Solan.
c) Karsog, District Mandi.
d) Bangana,District Una.
e) Tissa, District Chamba.
f) Bhoranj, District Hamirpur
Bag Free Day Under this Programme Ayurvedic Medical Officers visited schools nearby to AHC and made aware students on personal hygiene, drug abuse and also organized health talks and total of 6,35,205 students were benefitted under this programme.
Weekly Yog Divas
The ‘Weekly Yog Divas’ in 460 AHCs on every Friday have been managed benefiting 2,91,158 persons.
Jan Manch This is a very popular programme of State Govt. in which free medical camps have been organized and benefited 32,234 persons.
T.B. Mukt Himachal Abhyan
This programme is going on in the State and AYUSH Vibhag is closely working with Health department.
Free Ayurvedic Medicines to Senior Citizens
As per the budget announcement of Hon’ble Chief Minister during 2020-21, free Ayurvedic Medicines were provided to the senior citizens of the State and benefited 1,93,586 senior citizens.
Benefits to Farmers and Others
Subsidy of `48.63 lakh was released to 105 farmers for cultivation of medicinal Plants.
Online License for Ayurvedic Pharmacy has been started facilitating Manufacturing Firms to get new License as well as its renewal in a transparent manner.
Registration of Degree/Diploma in Ayurveda Board has been started online.
13.35 Development of Herbal Resources:
One Model Nursery in public sector is being established by spending
`25.00 lakh at Karsog and two small nurseries were established by spending
`12.50 lakh at Solan and Kinnaur for propogating/ promotion of cultivation of medicinal plants. One nursery in private sector is also being set up in Dehra with a grant of `12.50 lakh under National Medicinal Plant Board.
Sr. No. Institution Numbers
(upto December, 2020)
1 P.G. Ayurvedic College 1
2 B-Pharmacy College 1
3 Regional Hospitals 2
4 District Ayurvedic Hospitals 34
5 Nature Cure Hospital 1
6 Ayurvedic Health Centres 1039
7 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres
143
8 Research Institute 1
9 Drug Testing Laboratory 1
10 College of Pharmaceutical Science (B-Pharmacy Ayurveda)
1
11 Unani Health Centers 3
12 Homoeopathic Health Centers 14
13 Amchi clinics 4
14 Ayurvedic Pharmacies 3
Total 1248
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13.36 COVID-19 Management The total numbers of COVID positive cases were 58,222 of which 56,917 recovered and COVID deaths comprised of 981as on the 14th February, 2021. These statistics compare favourably or better than the national averages. District- wise detail is as below:
Table 13.10
Confirmed, Active, Recovered and Deceased cases in Himachal Pradesh
(as on 14th February 2021) Districts Confirmed
cases
Active Recovered Deceased
Shimla 10,440 39 10,134 266 Mandi 10,250 98 10,027 125 Kangra 8,319 93 8,018 206 Solan 6,752 19 6,660 73
Kullu 4,431 9 4,437 83
Sirmour 3,471 24 3,416 31 Hamirpur 3,043 3 2,990 49 Chamba 2,970 13 2,903 52
Una 2,974 85 2,844 44
Bilaspur 2,941 21 2,895 24 Kinnaur 1,373 10 1,347 16 Lahaul and
Spiti
1,258 0 1,246 12
Total 58,222 414 56,917 981
13.37 Initiatives taken to effectively deal with COVID-19
In order to curb COVID -19 Pandemic, initiatives were undertaken from time to time as per need of the hour and preparedness was ramped up as per case load.
The following initiatives have been taken:
13.37.1 Surveillance and Contact Tracing:
i) To prevent and control local transmission of COVID 19, instructions for closing schools
were issued in month of March itself, fairs/ tournaments / melas were postponed, religious gathering closures were done and timely lockdowns were ensured.
ii) Contact-tracing teams were formed in the districts for containing of the spread of COVID 19. The containment zones in the districts were notified by the district administration. The active surveillance was being carried out in containment zones and passive surveillance in the buffer zone by health workers. Micro plans for containing local transmission of COVID 19 were formulated.
iii) Active case finding campaign for COVID 19 was conducted on 3rd April, 2020 to 16th April, 2020 to identify a database of the vulnerable population and identify high risk individuals for quarantine.
iv) Himsuraksha Abhiyan across all the districts of the State was carried out from 25th November, 2020 to 4th January, 2021 in a campaign mode to enhance COVID 19, TB, and Leprosy case finding in state with special focus on vulnerable population.
13.37.2 Information Education and Communication:
i) In order to promote COVID 19 appropriate behavior extensively at the grass root level intensive IEC activities were undertaken across the State through print, electronic and social platforms since the alert was announced by Government of India.
ii) Jan Andolan was launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister on 8th
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October, 2020 on COVID-19 appropriate behavior to follow three mantras, namely, wearing of face mask, washing hands frequently and maintaining safe distance of 6 ft.
iii) The people in the State are being made aware about preventive measures regularly through various mass media campaigns. A special campaign of “Sureksha Ki Yukti, Corona se Mukti” has effectively been launched throughout the State for awareness of the general public.
iv) The Public representatives are generating awareness in their respective areas regularly under leadership of Chief Minister and Ministers. This shows the ownership of the programme at highest level and is an important motivating factor for all stakeholders involved in control of COVID-19.
v) The tourists visiting the State are regularly being made aware through different IEC media to follow preventive measures relating to COVID-19.
vi) During 2020-21, 50,000 No. of packets costing `30.00 lakh of Madhuyshtiadi Kshay (Immunity Booster) have been distributed free of cost amongst Senior citizens/corona warriors/ active and recovered cases of COVID - 19 and also manufacturing AYUSH Kwath worth `1.30 crore at Auurvedic Pharmacy Jogonder Nagar and this Kwath will be distributed free of cost during 2021-22 amongst 7.50 lakh Senior
citizens and all COVID warriors of the State.
13.37.3 Testing:
i) At the start of the COVID 19 pandemic, samples from Himachal Pradesh were sent to NIV Pune. After that IGMC, Shimla and Dr. RPGMC, Tanda, Kangra started to process the samples and eventually 8 RT PCR Labs were established and all the COVID samples of the State were tested at these labs.
ii) In the Districts, 25 TrueNAT machines, 2 CBNAAT machines and Rapid Antigen Kits were procured for strengthening of COVID 19 testing. 108 ambulances were specially modified for COVID-19 testing and are being utilized at field level.
iii) The state is processing around 8,000 samples on daily basis. The private Labs have been authorized to conduct various categories of tests in the state in order to ramp up the testing capacity.
iv) The rates to be charged by private labs for conducting True NAT testing in the State has been fixed @ `2000 per test, for Rapid Antigen Testing rates to be charged are `300 per sample inclusive of all the charges and applicable taxes.
v) Auto SMS to all persons being tested for COVID19 by RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen are being sent as soon as result is available. This has reduced the unnecessary travel/ wait/anxiety for want of
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result by general public and has brought more transparency in reporting/ sharing of results.
vi) Jeevan Dhara–“Mobile Health and Wellness Centre” has been initiated to provide health care services for the population living in remote, inaccessible, underserved areas. It is also used for testing the COVID suspects in remote areas.
13.37.4 Treatment and Management:
i) To minimize mortality and morbidity of the general population at large, non COVID health services were enabled.
Essential health services were resumed in the month of April, directions for routine surgeries in non COVID facilities were given in the month of August, maternal and obstetric care services along with immunization were in continuum.
ii) Dedicated facilities were created for management of COVID patients depending upon severity of illness. The asymptomatic and mild cases are managed at Dedicated COVID Care centres (generally Non-Health facilities at Panchayat/Block Level), those with moderate illness are managed at Dedicated COVID
Health Centres (Sub-
divisional/Distt Level) and severe cases are managed at Dedicated COVID Hospitals at District Level/Medical Colleges. All the treatment/diet etc. are provided free of cost at all these facilities
iii) Through 104 comprehensive call centre and e-OPD, counseling services on mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, distress is being provided to all the patients For non COVID health care the community at large was encouraged to undertake, e-OPD consultations.
iv) For the better clinical management of COVID Patients, the State COVID Clinical Team and COVID clinical committees at Medical college level have been formed. The committees from time to time issued clinical management protocol for management of COVID patients and undertake the death audits.
13.37.5 Incentives for Workers:
i) To motivate health workers, the State of Himachal Pradesh has announced incentives for the Sanitation workers and the ward boys @ ` 200 per shift.
ii) ASHA workers @`2,000 per month from September to December 2020, for the COVID related work.
13.37.6 Strengthening of Health System/Infrastructure:
i) To provide quality health care to COVID 19 patients in Himachal Pradesh, oxygen cylinders were procured and oxygen manifold were installed in Dedicated COVID Hospitals. Also ventilators provided by Govt. of India were installed in the facilities in order manage the critical COVID patients.
ii) Oxygen generation plants are ready in DDU Shimla, SLBSGMCH
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Nerchowk, ZH Dharamshala, Dr.
RPGMC Tanda and Dr. YSPGMC Nahan. Oxygen generation plants in PLNGMC Chamba, DRKGMC Hamirpur are in development stage.
iii) To handle any unanticipated increase in COVID19 cases in future, Makeshift hospitals are being developed at Nalagarh (Solan), IGMC Shimla, DRPGMC Tanda (Kangra), SLBSGMCH Nerchowk (Mandi). These will be utilised in future as per need of the area/hospital.