BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday pinned healthcare as the topmost priority of the State Government and sought earnest efforts to ensure access to equitable, affordable and quality health services for all.

Addressing Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) at the end of their two-day conference here, Naveen said as chief administrators of health programmes at the district level, they have the special responsibility to carry forward the policies, plan and programmes for achieving the objectives of health security for all.

 While the State Government will continue to step up its initiatives for providing better health services to the people, the sector needs an extremely responsive approach by service delivery personnel.

“We have to constantly upgrade the quality and efficiency of services. Mother and child health is the topmost priority of the Government. Though there have been improvements in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), the continued rate of reduction will be the benchmark for evaluation of the health administration at the district level”, he said.

Naveen directed the CDMOs to ensure proper disbursement of entitlements under Janani Surakhya Yojana (JSY) and Janani Sishu Surakhya Yojana (JSSY) as well as hassle-free services under Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF) and Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY). Incentives to ASHAs should be paid on time, he said.

Apart from concerted efforts to fight dengue, malaria and other diseases, the Health department must get prepared to face new challenge of Ebola. Training and capacity building of doctors, paramedics and health workers must be given proper attention, the Chief Minister said. Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Secretary Arati Ahuja and Director, National Health Mission (NHM) Roopa Mishra were present.
Source : NIE