In a path breaking development in providing the better health services to the citizen of Punjab, now onward ECG facility would be available at all Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Health and Wellness Centres of the state. This was disclosed by Brahm Mohinhdra, Health and Family Welfare Minister Punjab while inaugurating the monthly review meeting of the Civil Surgeons.Health Minister said that it is first time in history of Punjab that they will be able to provide the ECG facilities at the PHC level and Health & Wellness Centres. He said that now the people could get themselves diagnosed about heart problems at PHCs and Wellness Centres. He said in Punjab, never in the past ECG services were provided to the citizens upto the population of 5000. “Health Wellness Centres are catering health services upto the population of 5000 whereas PHCs caters to the population of 30,000.” added Mr. Brahm Mohindra.The Health Minister also disclosed that in order to strengthen the service delivered system at the Health and Wellness centres soon 166 staff nurses would be appointed as Community Health Officers at each Health and Wellness Centre. He said that all these staff nurses have been given the special training to provide basic medical care with regards to 12 general ailments.The Health Minister also reviewed the data of inspections done by Civil Surgeons under PNDT Act. He instructed the Civil Surgeons to accelerate the frequency of inspections as there was lot more to done to check the illegal sex determination tests. He instructed them to keep close tabs on the day today activities of private ultrasound and scanning centres mushrooming in the state and which were doing illegal sex determination tests.
Mr. Brahm Mohinhdra also appreciated the efforts of District Vigilance teams of Health Department who had been working tirelessly in unearthing the illegal drug de addiction centres. He said that, “It is welcome change that the people of Punjab are becoming aware about the illegal drug de addiction centres, it is evident from the fact that illegal drug de addiction centres are being unearthed, I must appreciate the vigilance teams of Health department who has been doing good job in this regard. Two illegal drug de addiction centres have been unearthed within in a fortnight “ During the review of Maternal Health Programme, Health Minister announced that MoU with Dayanand Medical College & Hospital (DMC & H) would be signed within month after which DMC & H would provided all secondary and tertiary level services to the pregnant women referred from Government system. He said MoU with another prestigious Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMC & H) had already been signed in the past to enable the pregnant women which were being referred form government system to avail all secondary and tertiary level services. Health Minister also appreciated that in Patiala and Mansa districts the rate of institutional deliveries were high as compared to the other districts of the state. He asked the Civil Surgeons of the other districts to ensure that home deliveries are decreased by motivating the people to come to the hospitals for institutional deliveries. He instructed Civil Surgeons to use the crucial services of ANM and ASHA workers to educate the people in this regard and bring them to hospitals for institutional delivery.He said by increasing the institutional deliveries we could substantially improve the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR).
Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu, Commissioner Food and Friday administration who also attended the meeting apprised the Minister about the Swasthya Bharat Yatra, a nationwide health awareness campaign, a Government of India Initiative. He said that under this unique campaign. He said that under this unique campaign a team of 25 local cyclists accompanied by Food Testing Van of Punjab Health Department and a team of 8-10 Government of India Health Officers would visit all the districts of the state to educate the people about the healthy lifestyle especially the virtues of eating healthy food.Mr. Brahm Mohinhdra while emphasising the need of healthy lifestyle said the state had already rolled out various falgship initiatives to sensitize the masses about Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy. He asked Mr. Kahan Singh Panuu to come up with suggestions on how Punjab Government could incorporate the Swasthya Bharat Yatra into the comprehensive State specific ' Mission Tandarust Punjab' to yield better results. Prominent amongst those who were present in the meeting included Mr. Amardeep Singh Cheema, Chairman, Punjab Health System Corporation, Mr. Satish Chandra, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu, Commissioner, Food and Drug administration, Dr. Jaspal Kaur, Director Health Services, Dr. Naresh Kansara, Director Family Welfare and Civil Surgeons of all 22 districts of Punjab .