In a bid to provide effective and quality skill development training in the health sector to unemployed youth of the state, the Punjab Government would start four new short term healthcare assistant certified courses. A decision to this effect was taken by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a high level meeting with the eminent experts in the field of Medical Education and Health System, held here at Punjab Bhawan late last evening.It may be recalled here that the last month the Chief Minister had constituted a Committee of experts from Medical Education and Health Services under the chairmanship of Dr. KK Talwar to workout various reforms for initiating effective skill development training in the health sector, thereby generating avenues of employment for the unemployed educated youth of the state. On the occasion Dr. KK Talwar, along with other members submitted their report to the Chief Minister with recommendations to start four new skill development healthcare certified courses under the aegis of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot. These certified courses includes ‘Hospital Care Attendant’ (one Year Course), ‘House –Based Health Care Attendant’ (Six month Course), ‘Emergency-cum-Ambulance Attendant’ (Nine months Course) and ‘Operation Theatre Attendant’ (One year Course) for which 10th and 12th pass inpiduals would be eligiable After a brainstorming session these recommendations were approved by the Chief Minister with minor modifications. It was also decided that the Course for ‘Home Based Health Care Attendant’ would be started from January 2013 while the other courses would be started from May – June 2013 at all the Medical colleges and some institutions of the Department of Health & Family Welfare in the state. It was informed in the meeting that these courses would enable the unemployed educated youth of the state to serve in providing pre-hospital services during referral to hospital, Assistant medical and para-medical personnel for patient care during hospital stay, provide care at home after discharge from hospital or during chronic progressive illnesses and in old age. After passing out these courses the inpiduals would be able to get jobs in Hospitals, Private Nursing Homes and Clinics.Taking part in the deliberations, Badal emphasized the need to establish three new Paramedical institutions solely to run various short term skill development training courses in all medical disciplines to generate huge employment potential on one hand and deliver quality health care services to the needy persons on the other and asked the committee to chalk out a comprehensive in this regard. Prominent amongst those were present in the meeting included Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mrs. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Health Mrs. Vini Mahajan, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister KJS Cheema, Secretary Medical Education and Research Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Secretary Health Raj Kamal Choudhri, Director Health Services Dr. JP Singh, Vice Chancellor Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot Dr. SS Gill, besides eminent experts Dr. KK Talwar, Dr. Ajmer Singh, Dr. KS Chugh, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. ML Chawla, Dr. Baldev Singh Aulakh, Dr. Jagdeep Singh, Dr. TS Punia, Dr. Gurpreet Singh Wander, Dr. Rajnish Kumar, Dr. Rajoo Singh Abhijit Singh and Kapil chib.