Himachal Pradesh News
Himachal Pradesh Aims to Become India’s Leading Healthcare State Within Three Years: CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to transformative reforms in the health sector, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said Himachal Pradesh would emerge as India’s leading state in healthcare services within the next three years.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to transformative reforms in the health sector, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said Himachal Pradesh would emerge as India’s leading state in healthcare services within the next three years.
Addressing the state’s first-ever health dialogue session at Peterhoff in Shimla, Sukhu said the government would invest ₹1,300 crore under JICA Phase-II to strengthen healthcare delivery across the state. “Over the next three years, nearly ₹3,000 crore will be spent to equip health institutions with world-class, high-end medical technology,” he said.
The Chief Minister held a direct and extended interaction with Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), Block Medical Officers (BMOs) and Medical Superintendents (MSs) during a marathon session that lasted over four-and-a-half hours. The dialogue focused on grassroots challenges, operational bottlenecks and policy reforms, with several long-pending issues resolved on the spot.
Emphasising that efficient administration is the backbone of quality healthcare, Sukhu announced the decentralisation of administrative and financial powers. CMOs, BMOs and MSs will be granted enhanced financial authority, and amendments will be introduced in financial rules to simplify procedures and speed up decision-making.
He said sanitation-related financial and decision-making powers would be delegated to CMOs, while special dedicated funds would be created for CMOs and MSs to meet urgent hospital requirements.
The Chief Minister also announced that the government would actively consider increasing the salary of Job Trainee Doctors. He said recruitment of 236 doctors is underway, with 150 additional posts already sanctioned. To ensure transparency, marks obtained in both written examinations and interviews will be included in the final merit list.
Sukhu said Model Health Institutions being developed across the state would serve as game changers for the healthcare system. These facilities will be equipped with globally benchmarked medical technology, and equipment older than 15 years will be replaced to improve patient care and reduce doctors’ workload. Operation theatre facilities will be ensured in every Model Health Institution.
He further announced that security arrangements in all health institutions would be strengthened through the Ex-Servicemen Corporation.
Highlighting quality standards, Sukhu said all medical equipment would be procured strictly as per AIIMS specifications. CT scan machines will be purchased with a comprehensive 10-year maintenance guarantee.
Advanced technologies such as robotic surgery and smart laboratories are also being integrated into the system. While robotic surgery has already begun at Chamiyana and Tanda hospitals, the government will invest ₹75 crore in setting up smart labs capable of conducting multiple diagnostic tests from a single blood sample.
The Chief Minister added that reforms would be introduced in Rogi Kalyan Samitis to make them more effective. An audit of the HIMCARE scheme is currently underway and the programme will be further strengthened. Medical Superintendents will also be empowered to issue up to 100 HIMCARE cards.
