Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh was the vision of our first Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and the former Chief Minister of Punjab Partap Singh Kairon and it has proven a great boon for patients not only from Punjab, but also for all the neighbouring states.These were the words of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh, who was the chief guest of the '2nd International Conference on Ascites' organized by the Department of Hepatology at PGIMER here today.Inaugurating the conference, Rana KP Singh said that liver diseases are very common now a days and liver cirrhosis has emerged as a major cause of concern. Cirrhosis is an end stage manifestation following long and over consumption of alcohol, use of drugs, hepatitis B and C. He expressed hope that the conference would go a long way to find a new and easy treatments for complex liver diseases and sensitize people about them.Rana KP Singh said that these days the PGIMER is overburdened and doctors of the institute working beyond their official duty hours. They are providing round the clock best health care to the patients. To overcome this burden, he said, there is an urgent need to further strengthen our peripheral health care system so that PGIMER doctors can find more time to deal with serious diseases.
The former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had been very kind to this part of the country by giving us state-of-the-art Tata Cancer Centre, which shall be soon functional and will reduce the burden on the PGIMER Cancer Department, he added.Expressing happiness over the opening of PGIMER's new OPD Services at Sarangpur, Rana KP Singh said that during the routine meetings with Hon'ble Governor of Punjab, he always raised his voice in favor of PGIMER to provide land to it at the nominal rates. Patting the Organizing Secretary of Conference Prof. Virendra Singh, the Speaker said that Professor Virendra has conducted first hand and extensive surveys in Punjab jail inmates on prevalence of hepatitis and cirrhosis in them. He also trained a large number of PCMS doctors to treat jail inmates and patients across the state. He extended every possible support in doing more extensive survey and rigorous treatment for cirrhosis patients.Prominent amongst those present on the occasion were Co-Organizing Secretary of the conference Dr. Nipum Verma, PGIMER Dean Dr. Arvind Rajwanshi, Member of International Club of Ascites Mr Pere Ginis and Secretary to Speaker Mr. Ram Lok.