In a bid to strengthen the health care network across the state to provide 24X7 Comprehensive Medical Services including Emergency, Deliveries and Trauma services for every patient within a radius of 10 kms, the Punjab Government has selected 22 district hospitals, 41 Sub-pisional Hospitals & 37 Community Health Centers (CHCs) well equipped with the latest medical and diagnostic facilities
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s office informed that the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal approved a plan of Rs. 102 crore to accomplish the remaining works in this regard within next three months. He was presiding over a high level meeting of the Health and Medical Education & Research departments here at his official residence late last evening in which Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Advisor on Health & Medical Education Dr. KK Talwar, renowned doctors and senior officers of both the departments were present.Mr. Badal also directed the Health Department to accelerate the procedure for filling up all the vacant posts and ensure sent-percent availability of Specialists and MBBS Doctors besides, other Para-medical staff in all the hospitals in a time bound manner. Accepting the request of Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education Mrs. Vini Mahajan to ensure the smooth functioning of health care services in the State, the Chief Minister approved to create about 200 additional posts against the doctors who had proceeded for higher studies. Emphasizing the dire need to aware the general public about the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, including locally endemic diseases, the Chief Minister asked the Health department to launch a massive awareness campaign soon.
While reviewing a comparative analysis and progress of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which was launched in 2005 in the Country with the main objective to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), Mr. Badal said that although Punjab had been appreciated at National level for its outstanding efforts in reducing IMR but it was still needed to achieve more. He asked the department to chalk out a plan for establishing separate Hospitals or Wing for the Mother & Child care. Mr. Badal further directed the department to create a system under which every newborn baby must be given intensive health care for crucial first month even after being discharged from the hospital.
In the meeting, Mr. Badal also reviewed the status and progress of establishing five new 50-bedded (each) ‘Model Drug De-addiction Centers’ at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Bathinda and Patiala, which would be made function as tertiary care facility besides service, training, documentation, research and manpower development centers. Likewise to provide accessible and uniform health care services for drug users at all District/ Sub-pisional Hospitals, total 31 centers with 10-bed facility in each were being established. Out of which seven pre-existing Centers had already been operational and 3 newly constructed would also be functional soon besides, 21 Centers were to be constructed. Mr. Badal asked the Health Department to ensure the availability of adequate staff and other essential support at the newly constructed Centers at Khiala Kalan, Hoshiarpur and Batala.
The Chief Minister also approved the setting up of Drug De-addiction services in Central Jails and would launch Prison Drug De-addiction Programme at Ludhiana Jail soon.
Mr. Badal also approved the recommendations of PGIMR experts Prof. Ajit Awasthi and Prof. Debasish Basu for documentation and monitoring of the drug abuse situation across the state besides, conducting a detailed study in a scientific manner with the active involvement of ICMR. He also impressed upon the need to involve NGOs in this programme by allotting them a specific area or villages around a particular Drug De-addiction center.Mr. Badal also asked the department to chalk out the modalities for introducing Pay Clinic system in the Medical Colleges for the working Doctors to shun the practice of their working in the private health Institution after the college hours.
During the meeting the Chief Minister was apprised by the MD Punjab Health System Corporation Mr. Husan Lal that under the revised Core Plan of Rs. 268 crore the up gradation works in one District Hospital, six Sub pisional Hospitals, six CHCs and 36 PHCs had been completed, whereas rest of the work was in process. It was also informed that out of 300 MBBS doctors selected by PPSC, 290 doctors had joined the department so far.
Prominent amongst those who were present in the meeting included Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Health Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Advisor on Health & Medical Education Dr. KK Talwar, Dr. Ajit Awasthi from PGIMER, Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education Mrs. Vini Mahajan, Special Principal Secretary to the CM Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, MD Punjab Health System Corporation Mr. Hussan Lal, NRHM Director Mr. Raj Kamal Chaudhary, DRME Dr. Tejveer Singh, Director Health Dr. Ashok Nayyar, VC Baba Farid Medical University Dr. SS Gill and Principals of Government Medical Colleges of Patiala and Amritsar besides, other Medico Professionals, Experts and officers of the state government.