The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced to undertake ‘Health Audit’ of every citizen residing in the state for achieving the goal of health for all. This decision was taken by Mr. Badal while presiding over the first meeting of the State Health Mission here today at CMO this morning. He directed the Health department to chalk out a comprehensive plan after meticulously studying the modalities to issue a Health Card to every citizen of the state as a part of health audit so as to enable them to lead a healthy, prosperous and cheerful life. The Chief Minister categorically directed the officers and workers of the health department to work relentlessly for further strengthening the health sector to provide proper and timely health care facilities to every person in the state at their door steps through Mobile Health Vans especially in the far-flung areas in the state.
He also approved to initiate a Pilot project in this respect under Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme in Balachaur and Mukandpur Blocks of District SBS Nagar, covering 210 villages with population 1,85,311. Under this project printed Family Health Cards would be initially maintained, which would be later converted into inpidual smart card with personal digital health record having tracking facility of particular person at all levels regarding health services.Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also approved the construction of 11 new Urban CHCs at a cost of Rs. 35 crore, besides ten new Urban PHCs in the state. In another significant decision Mr. Badal also approved to establish 23 Urban Kiosks in the slum areas at a cost of Rs. 16.50 crore. Under this scheme, two Kiosks in Amritsar, four in Bathinda, six in Jalandhar, Seven in Ludhiana and one each in Patiala, Malerkotla, Khanna & Mohali would be set up. For strengthening the manpower in the state Health department, Mr. Badal also gave nod to recruit 33 full time and 60 part-time doctors, 186 Staff Nurses, 33 Pharmacists, 93 Lab Technicians and 340 ANMs and 2394 ASHAs. Mapping and survey of the 40 cities would also be conducted besides constituting 8974 Mahila Arogya Samitis soon after the deployment of ANMs and ASHAs.
The MD PSHC apprised Mr. Badal that work for the construction of new building of District Hospital Gurdaspur (Rs. 20 crore), major repair of District Hospital Ropar (Rs. 5 crore), additional & new building of SDHs at Derabassi and Sardulgarh (Rs. 10 crore) was under process. He said that the State was also constructing six Mother and Child Health (MCH) wings at a total cost of Rs.66.32 crore at Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Barnala through expanding existing Health Infrastructure.Referring to the state's new activities under NHM, he informed that both the National Rural Health Mission initiated in April 2005 and National Urban Health Mission -2013 had now been merged as National Health Mission. Working effectively under this mission, the state State Government was providing all deliveries and delivery related services free of cost to the pregnant women and had succeeded in reducing the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to 25 (per 1000) besides Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 100 (per lakh). State had received incentive grant Rs 106.71 Crore in 2011-12 and Rs 109.32 crore in 2012-13 for reduction in IMR from the Centre. He further informed that prevention and reduction of anemia in women aged 15–49 years was 28%. He said that free treatment was also being provided to girl-child up to the age group of 5 years in the state. Under NHM 10 de-addiction centers with an outlay of Rs. 4.95 Crore – District Hospital (DH) Hoshiarpur, DH Gurdaspur, DH Pathankot, DH Barnala, DH Sangrur, DH Ludhiana, DH Fatehgarh Sahib, SDH Batala, SDH Malerkotla, CHC Khiala Kalan had been constructed to provide best de-addiction treatment to the drug addicts.
Prominent amongst those present in the meeting included Health Minister Mr. Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Mr. Sikandar Singh Maluka, Education Minister Dr. DS Cheema, Mrs. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Mr. Virsa Singh Valtoha (Both Chief Parliamentary Secretaries) Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Financial Commissioner Development Mr. Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Health Mrs. Vini Mahajan, Secretary Housing & Urban Development Mr. A Venu Parsad, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Managing Director Punjab Health System Corporation Mr. Hussan Lal, Director Social Security Ms. Alaknanda Dayal, Additional Secretary Public Relations Mr. Gurwaryam Singh, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr. Karanjit Singh.