Una, August 3: Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri presided over a meeting of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) governing body at the Una Regional Hospital on Monday, taking several significant decisions aimed at making health services more effective, accessible, and people-oriented. While reviewing the development and repair works undertaken at the hospital in recent years and the health facilities provided to patients, he directed officials to accelerate public-interest projects and ensure continuous improvement in healthcare services.
The Deputy Chief Minister instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Una to provide two fully-equipped ambulances for the regional hospital, ensuring that critically ill patients receive timely and superior emergency medical care.
To ensure the completion of essential hospital tasks without delay, he authorized the Chief Medical Officer and the Medical Superintendent to immediately spend up to ?5 lakh under various RKS budget heads. Additionally, he granted permission to spend up to ?15 lakh without prior approval to maintain robust sanitation and cleanliness standards, ensuring that essential work is not stalled by procedural file formalities.
Instructions were issued to constitute a committee chaired by the Superintendent of Police (SP), Una, to streamline the operations, parking, and other arrangements for government and private ambulances within the hospital premises. The committee will submit its recommendations after consulting with hospital management, the transport department, and other stakeholders, forming the basis for future arrangements.
During the meeting, a marginal increase in ambulance fares for patients referred from Una to PGI Chandigarh was approved. Simultaneously, keeping the interests of economically disadvantaged patients in mind, the Chief Medical Officer was empowered to grant a fare concession of up to ?500. Directives were also issued to provide financial assistance to needy patients for diagnostic tests, such as CT scans, through the RKS. The Deputy Chief Minister called for prompt action to fill vacant positions for watchmen and attendants in the hospital by engaging multi-purpose workers. He also directed that the honorarium of employees working under the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) be increased by ?3,000.
During the meeting, ex-post facto approval was granted for the RKS income and expenditure for the 2025-26 financial year, sanctioning an income of approximately ?2.59 crore and an expenditure of ?1.87 crore. Additionally, a proposal for the 2026-27 financial year, projecting an income of approximately ?4.25 crore and an expenditure of ?3.28 crore, was approved.
The Deputy Chief Minister issued instructions to carry out necessary road safety improvements at the intersection facing the regional hospital's main entrance, install directional indicators, and set up guide signboards pointing towards the Baba Bal Ji Maharaj Temple and the regional hospital. He also directed that streetlights be installed along the route to the Baba Bal Ji Maharaj Temple through the Una Municipal Council.
He further directed that the attendance of all relevant district heads of departments be made mandatory at the RKS Governing Body meetings to ensure timely decisions on hospital-related matters and to expedite their effective implementation.
At the meeting, Chief Medical Officer Dr. S.K. Verma welcomed the Deputy Chief Minister and RKS Governing Body members, presenting details on the committee's activities and the health services available at the hospital. Medical Superintendent Dr. Sanjay Mankotia gave a detailed presentation on various development works, including the renovation of medical and surgical wards, the upgrading of the waiting area, the strengthening of the orthopaedic department, the expansion of ECG facilities, and the installation of a PSA oxygen plant.
Former Una MLA Satpal Singh Raizada and Zila Parishad Chairperson Pawan Lambardar also offered valuable suggestions during the meeting on how to further strengthen the hospital's operations and make them more public-friendly. District Congress President Deshraj Gautam, RKS member Ashok Thakur, Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal, Superintendent of Police Sachin Hiremath, along with other officials and members of the Patient Welfare Committee (RKS) governing body, were present on the occasion.