The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today approved an ambitious plan to establish state-of-the-art health delivery system by upgrading the existing health and medical infrastructure at Tarn Taran in Majha, Muktsar and Barnala in Malwa and Nawanshahar in Doaba region. Presiding over a high level meeting to review the progress of up-gradation health infrastructure in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahar) in Doaba to be developed as model health district here at Chief Minister’s Residence this morning, Mr. Badal said that this model would be replicated in Malwa and Majha regions also so as to provide the best healthcare facilities to the people. The Chief Minister had entrusted the work to create model infrastructure in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar to the task force on health and medical education headed by Advisor health to the Punjab government Dr. K.K. Talwar.
Taking part in the discussions, the Chief Minister gave in-principle approval to recruit requisite number of Medical Officers in the government hospitals and primary health centres to ensure smooth functioning of the medical and healthcare services. He also agreed to the proposal to recruit adequate paramedical staff especially the nurses so as to cater the health services especially in the rural areas efficaciously. Mr. Badal asked the Principal Secretary Health to put forth a comprehensive proposal for the recruitment of medical officers in the next Cabinet meeting to obtain necessary approval. Meanwhile, Principal Secretary Health assured Mr. Badal that the entire recruitment process of the medical officers would be accomplished positively by 31st March, 2016. Acceding to the request of health department, Mr. Badal directed the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Jalandhar to immediately release Rs.28 crore for ensuring timely creation of requisite infrastructure to develop Nawanshahr as model health district.
The Chief Minister desired that the road map to develop Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar as the model health district should be followed meticulously in Tarn Taran, Muktsar and Barnala districts also to ensure uniformity in the health delivery system. He also gave go ahead to set up a hostel having eight to ten rooms for the doctors in the vicinity of district hospital, Nawanshahar for providing a congenial atmosphere to serve the ailing humanity in a better way. Likewise, he also asked the Deputy Commissioner, Nawanshahr to prepare a master plan in consultation with PUDA for creating residential facility for the doctors and paramedical staff in an area of 4 acres within the premises of Civil Surgeon Office (CSO), Nawanshahr and in lieu of that suggested to shift the CSO’s office in the District Administrative Complex. Mr. Badal also gave approval to start local bus service from the bus stand to the district hospital Nawanshashr to ferry patients and asked the Deputy Commissioner to run this bus service under the aegis of district red cross society.
The Chief Minister also asked the health department to send a compact proposal for filling the vacancies of medical officers and paramedical staff to meet the Indian Public Health Standards so that an appropriate call on this issue could be taken soon. Meanwhile, Dr. K.K. Talwar apprised the Chief Minister that PGI centre would be established at Balachaur as the requisite infrastructure including building was already there in place and hoped that the upcoming centre would prove to be a boon to provide the best medical services to the residents of the Kandi area.
Member Parliament from Sri Anandpur Sahib Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, who was also present in the meeting committed to provide Rs.35 lakh from MPLAD Funds for the purchase of new Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulance for district hospital Nawanshahr. Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Chairman MARKFED Mr. Jarnail Singh Wahad, Advisor Health to the Punjab government Dr. K.K. Talwar, Principal Secretary Health Ms. Vini Mahajan, Secretary Health and Medical Education Mr. Hussan Lal, Special Secretary Health Mr. Vikas Garg, Deputy Commissioner Nawanshashr Mr. APS Virk, Director Health & Family Welfare Dr. H.S. Bali, Civil Surgeon Nawanshashr Mr. Maninder Minhas and Associate Professor Department of Public Health PGI Dr. Tarandeep Singh.