To enhance rural outreach, MLA’s Mr Rakesh Pandey, Mr Surinder Dawar and Mr Sanjay Talwar, MC Councillor Mrs Mamta Ashu and Civil Surgeon Dr Parvinderpal Singh Sidhu today flagged off Information Education and Communication (IEC) Vans under his government’s flagship programme Mission Tandrust Punjab, during different functions held in different parts of the city today.The unique statewide mass contact cum awareness programme would cover all 117 assembly constituencies across the state in an effort to create awareness about various diseases and their prevention through proper healthcare and diagnostic intervention.MLA Mr Rakesh Pandey said that this campaign is the biggest outreach activity of the department, initiated by National Health Mission with the support of different wings of Health & Family Welfare i.e. Directorate of Health Services, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, PHSC and PSACS.MLA Mr Surinder Dawar said that each vehicle will cover minimum 8-10 locations per day and stop at the biggest village among these locations. The SMO in-charge of the block would be the Nodal Officer in his/her respective block and the Medical Officer in-charge of the area would be the Nodal Officer of each IEC Van in his/her area, for supervising all local activities, including medical camps and RBSK teams.After flagging off one such van at Sunet today, Mrs Mamta Ashu said that the state government’s focus is on providing the best healthcare facilities to the people, reaching out more aggressively to those in rural areas. She informed that the IEC Vans would cater to basic healthcare needs of the people residing in the district. The hi-tech vans, equipped with 42” LED Television screens, Public Address Systems and elevated platform as makeshift dais, would have experts interacting with the masses to educate them on health issues, besides showing awareness films. MLA Mr Sanjay Talwar informed that basic Laboratory tests like (HB, BP, Random Blood Sugar, Blood Slide for MP, Sputum for AFB, Visual acuity, Near vision (RE/LE) will be conducted on the spot. Free medicines like Paracetamol, Antibiotics like Amoxycillin etc will be given to the patients. Those requiring further treatment shall be referred to the nearest Government health facility. A proper follow-up of the patients visiting camp shall be done.