Heated arguments were today witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council over health infrastructure and availability of medicines in the state.
The argument broke out when MLC Ramesh Arora countered J-K Health Minister Bali Bhagat while he was answering questions raised by the former.
Arora claimed the answers were "white lies" and used unparliamentary words against Bhagat, which were later expunged.
"Please do not use such words. I am ready to answer but no such words should be used," the minister said.
Before the argument broke out, in his reply to questions by the MLC, Bhagat said under the free-drug policy 68 drugs are to be provided at district and sub-district hospitals, 53 PHCs and 23 sub-centers.
He said efforts are being made to achieve the target in the current fiscal and assured the House that 100 per cent implementation of the policy would be ensured from April, for which advance steps have been taken.
Bhagat informed the House that the policy notified by the government is already being implemented and medicines for different health care institutions will be made fully available from April.
The Medical Supplies Corporation has already finalised the annual rate contract of 552 molecules and have placed purchase orders amounting to Rs 79.12 crore for medicines, IV fluids, he informed, adding rates for additional 41 medicines have also been approved by the State Level Purchase Committee.
The Minister said currently the Corporation is in a position to meet out requirements of all health care institutions and efforts are being made to ensure requisitions from end-user institutions are received well in time.
Bhagat said medicines, instruments, bandages, injections and life-saving drugs etc are being stored at 10 warehouses in the state and is being distributed to health care institutions to meet requirements of various end-users.
The Minister informed a part of the CT-Scan machine at CD Hospital in Jammu that was not functional for some time and the same was replaced by the firm concerned.
Arora countering Bhagat, claimed the answers were "white lies".
The Minister rebuffed him by saying "you visit the hospital and see that CT-Scan machine is very much functional".
Explaining safety measures at Blood banks, the Minister said that independent set-up is available in hospitals for cross matching in Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTI) lab.
He said the cross matching is done through Gel Technology Method and standard ELISA methods, and blood components are issued only after proper screening.
Proper care is taken during screening and cross-matched blood is issued to patients under supervision of senior blood bank officers, the minister said.
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