Jammu and Kashmir is aiming towards implementation e-Health Services as it is considering to start with digital prescriptions system by the next financial year.
The system of digital prescription will allow physicians and other medical practitioners to write and send prescriptions to a participating pharmacy digitally instead of a written prescription.
Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta stressed on switching over to digital prescriptions by the next financial year through suitable provisions in the CAPEX budget.
Chief Secretary said that this move will help in implementing e-Health Services in the Union territory in a meeting to review the functioning of the Health & Medical Education Department and progress achieved under the CAPEX Budget during this financial year.
In addition, to streamline prescriptions, the Chief Secretary directed a prescription audit and directed the Department to ensure that all doctors produce their seal and signature on the prescription card if the prescribed drugs include non-generic medicines to be procured from the market.
In order to improve the standards of healthcare at all institutions across J&K, the CS stressed upon the Department to introduce the Health Management Information System by March 2022.
Also in meeting it was informed that all government hospitals especially under maternal and child health care are provided with 422 drugs which are free of cost through government drugs stores. Also it was advised to the Health Department to keep a track record and submit a report on procurement, storage, and distribution of free medicines in all government facilities, besides raising awareness on the provision of free medicines through displayed lists at prominent places in the hospital premises.
CS also directed the concerned officials to ensure proper testing, fast-tracked vaccination in the 15-17 age group and proper treatment for Covid-19 patients.