To further improve the functioning of FDA Punjab (Food & Drug Administration Department), the Health Minster Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu today handed over the appointment letters to 11 Drugs Controller Officers. While addressing on the occasion, the Minister said that Punjab Government has celebrated the New Year by appointing Youngsters on the important posts. He said that FDA has already 48 Drugs Controller Officers in place and now the strength would go up to 60 sanctioned posts. He said that FDA is conducting the regular inspection of wholesale and Retail sale Drugs Licenses across the state with a view to keep tab on the illegal sale of habit forming drugs. He said that now with the recruitment of these 11 Drugs Controller officers, the FDA would expedite the action against the chemists who are indulging in unethical trading of drugs and further the quality of medicines available in market will also improve.
The Minister further said that to reduce the pendency of analysis of samples in CEL (Chemical Examiner Lab), Kharar, 5 Analysts and 4 MLTs have also inducted in the department. He said that these newly recruited employees would help the Assistant Chemical Examiners and Senior Analysts for analysis of viscera, excise samples and record keeping of reports.Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu also said that around 4000 recruitments of Medical & Para Medical and other Clerical and Ministerial staff had been made in department which has resulted in extensive improvement in government hospital performance.The Minister added that the Union Government had given the target to Punjab for converting the 2950 sub centres into Health & Wellness Centres by 2023 while with the tireless efforts of Punjab Government it would be achieved by 2021. He said that with a view to expedite this process, advertisement to recruit 1000 Community Health Officers has been issues and about 928 CHOs have already been inducted so far. He also said that 690 more CHOs would be joining at the Health & Wellness Centres till March 2020 after the completion of their professional course.