Since the health and wellbeing of the police personnel remains a top priority, the Punjab Police has decided to establish Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) for the Police force in all the districts, including the three Commissionerate Police (CPs) in the state. The Centres are also proposed be set up in all the Armed Police and Police Training Centres.The HWC will have facilities, including indoor gym, outdoor gym, space for meditation and yoga, physiotherapy centre and Counselling room to provide counselling and appropriate interventions to focus on the health and wellness for the cops.Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Dinkar Gupta, divulging the details, said that the pressures of job and stressful working conditions of Police leads to fatigue, trauma and stress, among which could lead to serious health issues.“Health and Wellness Centres will encourage the police personnel to focus and attend to their physical and mental fitness and provide the necessary interventions to bring the required change in their overall health and wellbeing,” he said.In the first phase, an amount of Rs 2.97 crores from Welfare head of the budget has already been given to 15 districts, including CP Ludhiana and CP Amritsar to establish HWCs, the DGP said adding that majority of centres including in CP Amritsar and districts Patiala, Tarn Taran, Mansa and Pathankot are almost ready and expected to get functional by mid March while construction work at the remaining centres are going on.He said that in the second phase, funds will be disbursed among the remaining districts, Armed Police and Police Training Centres to establish such centres.
DGP Dinkar Gupta further said that an amount of Rs 2 lakh annually has also been earmarked to each district from the next financial year under the head welfare of police personnel to conduct to Health and Wellness programs.The five-seven days health and wellness programs will be conducted at the Health and Wellness Centres by health professionals including psychologists who will recommend physical exercise, diet advice, counselling to bring necessary life-style changes in the cops for better health, said the DGP adding that the Physiotherapy centres will provide facilities to the cops, who are suffering from age related minor pain and aches in knees, joints, back etc.ADGP Welfare V Neeraja said that instructions had been issued to all the Commissioner of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) to constitute a Committee with the SP headquarters and medical officer to identify cops, who require to undergo health and wellness program. The committee will also design and conduct monthly Health and Wellness programs as suitable to the cops besides ensuring all the Police personnel posted in a district get an opportunity to attend the program at least once a year, she said.Meanwhile, the DGP has expressed hope that the HWCs will be able to nudge the cops in adapting to a healthy lifestyle and ensure early interventions in preventing various life-style diseases.