Shima, June 19
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced that super-specialty doctors in the state will be provided a non-practising allowance (NPA) as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare services. He said the government remains committed to providing quality medical facilities to patients within the state and has no shortage of funds for modernising the health sector.
Chairing a review meeting of the health department, Sukhu directed officials to categorise all community health centers (CHCs) based on population coverage to ensure that staffing and infrastructure are planned according to actual requirements.
The Chief Minister said the government had held several discussions with doctors regarding healthcare reforms and added that the decision to provide NPA to super-specialty doctors was aimed at further improving healthcare delivery in the state.
“There was no shortage of funds for modernising the health sector,” Sukhu said during the meeting, according to an official statement.
Sukhu also said that in districts without medical colleges, zonal and regional hospitals were being upgraded to provide better healthcare facilities. He added that recruitment drives were underway to address shortages of doctors, paramedical staff, and technicians.
The chief minister said he would personally visit various health institutions and interact with doctors to prepare a future roadmap for improving healthcare services across Himachal Pradesh.
The move is expected to support healthcare reforms in the state by focusing on specialist services, improved infrastructure, and the strengthening of medical facilities at different levels.
