Health and Family Welfare Minister of Punjab Dr. Balbir Singh presided over the seminar organized at the auditorium hall of district administration complex Sangrur today on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day as the chief guest while MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj attended as the special guest.
Before this, Cabinet Minister Dr. Balbir Singh inaugurated the Tobacco Cessation Clinic at Homi Bhaba Cancer Hospital Sangrur, a unit of Tata Memorial Center Mumbai, where patients who consume tobacco will be treated.
Speaking on the occasion, Cabinet Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said that the state government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been making continuous efforts to bring revolutionary reforms in the health sector and along with this, people were being constantly made aware to stay healthy.
He said that in order to stop the use of tobacco, the health and family welfare department was making people aware of its ill effects and along with this, the Punjab government would also running an awareness campaign to stop the consumption of tobacco.
Dr. Balbir Singh said that apart from the other bad effects of consumption of tobacco, it also causes deadly diseases like cancer. He said that a person should avoid any form of tobacco consumption and people should also stand firm against its consumption.
He said that health welfare committees should be formed to stop the use of tobacco in villages and wards of cities and declare them tobacco-free. The Cabinet Minister said that Sangrur district will soon be equipped with world-class health facilities due to the reforms being carried out by the Mann government. He said that specialist doctors, necessary medical staff, medicines and all tests will be made available within Civil Hospital Sangrur soon.
He said that the Punjab government was ensuring continuous recruitment of doctors and other staff, with which sufficient number of staff will be made available in the health institutions in the near future. Along with this, he appreciated the public welfare efforts being done by Homi Bhaba Cancer Hospital and said that the doctors and staff of this hospital will be provided all necessary help according to their ability.
He said that the main purpose of providing these facilities is to provide a good environment for working doctors and medical staff. During the seminar, MLA Narendra Kaur Bharaj said that consumption of tobacco is extremely dangerous for human health and awareness seminars about its deadly effects are the need of the hour.
She lauded the efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan and Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh to make Sangrur a leader in terms of health facilities. On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Dr. Balbir Singh also administered an oath to the participants for prevention of tobacco use and awareness about its ill effects.
Before this, the program was started by lighting candles by dignitaries. On this occasion, prizes were also distributed to the winner students of various competitions recently conducted by Homi Bhaba Cancer Hospital for awareness against the use of tobacco.
On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Varjeet Walia, Chairman District Planning Board Gurmail Singh Gharachon, Chairman Improvement Trust Harpreet Singh Peetu, SDM Sangrur Navreet Kaur Sekhon, SDM Bhawanigarh Vineet Kumar, Civil Surgeon Dr. Parminder Kaur, Director Homi Bhaba Cancer Hospital Punjab Dr. Ashish Gulia, Assistant Director Dr. Jaskirandeep Kaur, Assistant Director, Dr. Sandeep Gill, Dr. Gurman, District Education Officer Sanjiv Sharma, Dr. Rahatdeep Brar, Keshav Sharma, Dr. Vandita Pahwa apart from a large number of students of schools and colleges and other dignitaries were also present.