Thiruvananthapuram: The new state health policy approved by the cabinet on Tuesday seeks to make vaccination cards mandatory for children seeking admission to the first standard. The proposal comes in the wake of resistance from different quarters to the vaccination programmes. The recent Neeti Aayog health index had hinted at the decline in vaccination coverage of children below one year in the state. Special clinics have been proposed for transgenders in taluk and district hospitals to take care of their health care needs.
The vaccination coverage in 2014-15 was 95.5 percent and now it is 94.6 percent. It may be recalled that anti-vaccine campaigners had posed stiff resistance to MR vaccination programme. Kerala now stands at eighth position in vaccination coverage. The health policy has mooted a statewide programme to counter the anti-vaccination campaign. Bifurcation of health department: The health sector will have a director-general of modern medicine and a director-general of Ayush. Instead of director of health services, the proposal is to have separate directors for clinical services and public health while the director of medical education remains.
Administrative autonomy will be granted to government medical colleges. The proposal comes in the wake of principals and hospital superintendents complaining that they are not able to carry out administrative work effectively because of complicated procedures and lack of administrative freedom. Standard treatment guidelines will be made mandatory for doctors in the government sector and these will be applicable for private sector as well.
The policy proposes comprehensive trauma care facility every 10 km by coordinating the services of government, private and cooperative hospitals. Effective steps have been proposed for checking the corruption of health staff and the hospital vigilance system will be strengthened. The ban on private practice will be enforced strictly.
