Under the Mission Tandrust Punjab being started by the Punjab government, the Drug De-addiction Centre at Ludhiana Civil Hospital have been upgraded. The drug de-addiction centre located in the Civil Hospital premises has now been made 50-bedded from the existing 10-bedded. Health & Family Welfare Minister Punjab Brahm Mohindra today inaugurated the supplementary ward of drug de-addiction centre, here.While speaking on the occasion, Brahm Mohindra said that the Punjab government is committed for wiping out the evil of drugs from the state. He said that the network of drug de-addiction centres in the state is being strengthened as now, a large number of people are coming forward themselves as they want to shun drugs. He said that the state government is providing free treatment for drug addicts.Mr Brahm Mohindra said that several Outpatient Opiod Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres to administer medicine to drug dependent persons under the supervision of a trained medical officer are also being opened across the state.Earlier, the Cabinet Minister attended state-level Organ Donor Day function at Aykai Super Speciality Hospital, Chandigarh Road, here.
This function was organised to promote Mission Tandrust Punjab in association with NGO Gift of Life Organ Donation Awareness Society (GLODAS). He said that Organ Donation Day is celebrated every year on August 13 and it provides a great opportunity in everyone’s life to come ahead and pledge to donate their precious organs. He said that every year, about 5 lakh people die awaiting organ transplants due to non-availability of organs.On this occasion, the Health Minister, along with other dignitaries present pledged to donate organs. On this occasion donor card was also signed and an organ donation walkathon was flagged off by the Cabinet Minister. He also inaugurated state of the art Liver and kidney transplant institute at Aykai Hospital.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Mayor Mr Balkar Singh Sandhu, MLA Mr Sanjay Talwar, MLA Mr Surinder Dawar, singers Sardool Sikandar and Amar Noorie, Senior Lawyer Mr Harpreet Sandhu, Civil Surgeon Dr Parvinder Pal Singh Sidhu, besides several others. Renowned Urologist and Transplant surgeon Dr Baldev Singh Aulakh, Chairman of Aykai Hospital and President GLODAS, said that their main aim is to help all kinds of organ failure patients and perform multi organ kidney, liver and heart transplants.