With a view to further strengthen up the delivery of Comprehensive Primary Health Services at all Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs) across the State, the Punjab Government has decided to connect 300 HWCs with the Tele Medicine Hub as a pilot project by March, 2020. Disclosing this here today, Balbir Singh Sidhu said that after witnessing the overwhelming response of 1365 HWCs across the State, the Punjab Government is now going to connect the 300 centres with the Telemedicine Hub to provide the Comprehensive Primary Health Services in rural areas. He said that telemedicine Hub will be established at the Sector 9, Chandigarh under the supervision of 5 Doctors and 1 Tele Medicine operator (TMO). He said that training of the TMOs has also been done by CDAC, Mohali. TMOs are further imparted the training to CHOs (Community Health Officer) for the smooth functioning of TMH program in the villages.“OPD of 35,62,492 patients have been registered in these centres so far adding that he said 27 medicines and 6 Diagnostic tests like Hb test, Blood sugar test, pregnancy test, Urine albumin test, sputum test are being conducted at these centers to support the expanded range of services and to provide medicines for chronic illnesses close to communities so that people do not have to travel long distances to get treatment and medicines. He also directed the all Civil Surgeons to ensure adequate availability of medicins at these centres.Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu added that despites treatment of 12 diseases, Screening of Non Communicable diseases on ‘Community Based Assessment Checklist’ is being done by ANMs and ASHAs to identify at risk population. The people identified with risk factors for NCDs has been screened at HWC-SC and referred to outreach camps, PHC/CHC for the confirmation of diagnosis.Highlighting the patients diagnosed with the NCDs, Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu informed that 1,25,776 patients of Hypertension, 73,150 patients of Diabetes, 403 of Oral Cancer, 522 patients of Breast Cancer, 504 patients of Cervical Cancer have been found in the screening programme. He said that the patients diagnosed for hypertension are provided with medication for at least 10 days at the camp itself. He said that the all diagnosed patients have further referred for the tertiary health care and also put on treatment for secondary health services. He said that Digitization of all the records is also being done on daily basis at HWC portal.