While the State Government is recruiting a large number of employees in the Health and Family Welfare Department with a commitment to bring about a comprehensive improvement in the health services in the state, revolutionary steps are also being taken to improve the infrastructure. Going by this commitment, approval has been given to upgrade the Primary Health Center of Phase-3B1 of Mohali to a Community Health Center.Disclosing this here today, the Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that approval has been given to upgrade the Primary Health Center (PHC) 3B1 to a Community Health Center (CHC) to provide quality facilities to the people and reduce the growing patient footfall in the phase 6 Civil Hospital. He said that the Civil Hospital of Phase 6 and the under construction Medical College are located on a side of the city, which makes it difficult for the senior citizens to access, whereas Phase 3B1 is the focal point of the city and is much easier to access. He said that the Civil Surgeon Mohali has been instructed that there should be no shortage of staff and the proposal for the posts to be created should be prepared and sent within two days after which the posts would be sanctioned.
The Health Minister said that the covered area of the CHC would be 40,000 square feet and a cost of Rs 10 crore would be incurred on up-gradation. He said that work would commence immediately so that it may support the health care during COVID-19 .Describing health and education as the priority areas of the government, he said that during the current pandemic scenario, the entire focus of the government is on enhancing the health infrastructure and strengthening the public healthcare sector.Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that Punjab Cabinet has approved to fill about 4000 posts in the Health department and about 250 posts in the medical education and research department. He said that this includes induction on technical posts including doctors and lab technicians, which would further strengthen the healthcare system.Mr. Harkesh Chand Sharma Machhli Kalan, Political Secretary to the Health Minister and Chairman, Market Committee, Kharar, Mr. Rishav Jain, Former Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr. Jaspreet Singh Gill, President Block Congress Committee(urban), Mr. Kuljit Singh Bedi, Mr. Amrik Singh Somal, Mr. Narain Singh Sidhu, Ms. Taranjit Kaur Gill all Former Councilors, Surinder Singh Rajput, Nachhatar Singh, Jasveer Singh Manku and Raja Rani, all Former Councilors, Advocate Narpinder Singh Rangi, Gursahib Singh, G.S. Riar, Master Ram Saroop Joshi and Amit Marwaha were also present on the occasion.