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SRINAGAR: In a concerted effort to strengthen the quality, accessibility and effectiveness of public healthcare services across Jammu and Kashmir, Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), J&K, Athar Aamir Shafi-ul-Khan, today chaired two consecutive review meetings focusing on the implementation of National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) and the progress of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).
The meetings were convened at the State Health Society Office, Old Secretariat, Srinagar, and focused on assessing implementation progress, identifying operational and infrastructural gaps, strengthening institutional accountability and accelerating the achievement of key healthcare objectives across the Union Territory.
During the review of NQAS implementation, the Mission Director emphasised that robust healthcare infrastructure, adherence to prescribed quality benchmarks and patient-centric service delivery constitute the fundamental pillars of an effective public healthcare system. He stressed the need for a comprehensive, institution-wise assessment to ensure that all public health facilities are adequately equipped to deliver quality healthcare services in accordance with national standards.
Directing all Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to undertake comprehensive baseline assessments of every public health institution falling within their respective jurisdictions, the Mission Director called for a systematic evaluation of existing infrastructure, service delivery mechanisms and quality-related requirements.
He further instructed the CMOs to categorise healthcare facilities on the basis of assessment findings, identify and address infrastructural and operational deficiencies in a time-bound manner, and ensure the strategic prioritisation of resources to bridge the identified gaps.
Setting a clear and measurable target, Athar Aamir Shafi-ul-Khan directed that 100 per cent of the targeted public healthcare facilities across Jammu and Kashmir achieve NQAS quality certification by March 2027. He reiterated the commitment of the administration towards strengthening institutional quality standards and assured that the State Health Society would extend comprehensive technical and administrative support to facilitate every healthcare facility in meeting the prescribed national quality benchmarks.
In a separate review meeting, the Mission Director assessed the progress and ground-level implementation of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), with particular emphasis on expanding population-based screening coverage, strengthening Differentiated TB Care and ensuring effective implementation of TB Preventive Treatment (TPT).
Emphasising the need for intensified case detection, comprehensive screening and the effective deployment of available diagnostic infrastructure, he directed all concerned district-level functionaries to ensure 100 per cent utilisation of available diagnostic equipment, including TruNAAT and CBNAAT machines, along with both handheld and fixed X-ray machines across all districts of the Union Territory.
He underscored that optimal utilisation of these diagnostic resources is essential for strengthening early detection, improving access to timely diagnosis and ensuring that tuberculosis cases are identified and managed effectively. The review also stressed the importance of strengthening field-level interventions and ensuring that programme implementation translates into measurable improvements in screening coverage and TB care delivery.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of community-level mobilisation under the initiative JOSH (Joint Squad for Health), highlighting that JOSH Teams have been fully constituted across all 110 medical blocks of Jammu and Kashmir.
These youth-led community mobilisation teams comprise designated Class-I officers, NCC cadets and MY Bharat volunteers. Working in coordination with Block Medical Officers, the teams are actively contributing towards strengthening public awareness, addressing misconceptions surrounding tuberculosis, combating social stigma associated with the disease and encouraging adherence to prescribed treatment regimens.
The Mission Director underscored the significance of sustained community engagement and grassroots participation in achieving the objectives of the TB elimination programme, recognising the role of youth-led initiatives in fostering awareness, promoting behavioural change and strengthening community ownership of public health interventions.
Both review meetings witnessed active participation, both physically and through virtual mode, from the Directors of Health Services, Jammu and Kashmir; State Tuberculosis Officers; Chief Medical Officers (CMOs); District Tuberculosis Officers (DTOs); NHM Programme Managers; and other senior officers concerned.
The deliberations provided an opportunity to assess programme implementation, review institutional preparedness and reinforce coordinated efforts among the health administration and field-level functionaries towards strengthening healthcare quality and accelerating tuberculosis elimination across Jammu and Kashmir.
