Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today emphasized the need of setting up SAARC hospitals in every member country for providing quality health services to the people of the region. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Annual conference of the SAARC Surgical Care Society here today, the Chief Minister said that setting up of SAARC hospitals was the need of the hour as it would go a long way in delivering best health care facilities to the people besides promoting the people to people contact in the region. Badal said that the renowned surgeons and doctors of the SAARC countries should offer their services to these hospitals, where cheap and quality treatment should be provided to the common man. Offering the land and other infra structure to set up one such hospital in the state, he said that the SAD-BJP government was duty bound to fulfill such a noble cause. The Chief Minister also impressed upon the SAARC surgeons converged on the occasion to make Punjab a base of their institution for carrying out research and other activities related to this pious profession. Laying thrust on strengthening of ties between Medical fraternities of the SAARC nations, the Chief Minister said that it would benefit the people of these under developed/developing nations by providing them access to quality health care services. Badal said that mutual cooperation and support of Medical fraternities in the region would further prove to be stepping stone for the surgeons of the region by helping them in understanding the new innovations in Medical field besides acquainting them with the new esearches.Advocating the abolition of visa regime amongst the SAARC nations for the promotion of love, peace, brotherhood, co-operation and above all communal harmony and friendship, the Chief Minister said that it would help in heralding a new era of mutual trust and goodwill in the region. Badal expressed hope that the ongoing bilateral talks between the national governments of India and Pakistan on the issue would pave way for this historic decision. Recalling his youthful days spent in Lahore while pursuing graduation in a local college there, Badal said that the vibrant memories of college days, especially related to the mouth watering food of the city, were still afresh in his mind adding that if the visa regime is abolished then he would visit the city every weekend to have the food there.The Chief Minister further said that it was indeed a matter of pride for the state that such a mega conference was being organized here in which 600 surgeons from SAARC countries and others would discuss their expertise besides focusing on improving health care facilities in these countries. He categorically said the thrust of such conferences should be on providing the access of modern and quality surgical care and facility to the rural areas of the SAARC countries. Lauding the role of the members of SAARC Surgical Care Society to support and educate surgeons and doctors from under-developed countries to update their diagnostic and surgical skills, the Chief Minister said that mission of the society to relieve the suffering mankind from the pangs of agony caused due to deadly diseases was also highly commendable.Listing the achievements of state government in the field of healthcare, the Chief Minister said thatthe SAD-BJP government was well aware about the importance of quality healthcare facilities for the people due to which it has taken path breaking initiatives in the health sector. He said that owing to the concerted efforts of the state government, Punjab today leads the nation in providing healthcare facilities to the people adding that the state’s performance on Health Infrastructure has been adjudged “excellent” by agency of Government of India. Badal further said that to provide world class health facilities to the people a massive program of upgradation of infrastructure and equipment in the government hospitals has been embarked by the state government at a cost of Rs 350 crore. The Chief Minister said that realizing well the threat posed by the cancer in the state, their government has already given 50 acres of its land to construct a Cancer Hospital that would come up soon at Medicity in Mullanpur. Likewise he said that deeply concerned about the menace of drug addiction in the state, the Punjab government was setting up five drug de-addiction centers at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Faridkot and Bathinda.The Chief Minister also announced a grant of Rs 20 lakh for the under construction IMA House in the city. Earlier addressing the gathering former Haryana Chief Minister Chaudhary Om Parkash Chautala urged the surgeons to make strenuous efforts for providing quality health services to the poor people. He also expressed hope that this conference would pave way for new innovations in medical field thereby benefiting the doctors and the people.Welcoming the Chief Minister, President of SAARC Surgical care Society Dr A Majeed Chaudhary and General Secretary Dr PS Bakshi expressed their gratitude towards him for sparing his valuable time to grace the occasion.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Chief Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Chander, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister SK Sandhu, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Commissioner Jalandhar pision SR Ladhar, Police Commissioner Gaurav Yadav, Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti and Deputy Police Commissioner Sarabjeet Singh .