Showing deep concern over the growing trend of ‘brain drain’ amongst the highly qualified Doctors and specialists, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today exhorted the medical students to serve the state and its people zealously instead of going abroad in search of ‘green pastures’.Addressing the students on the ninth convocation of the Government Medical College Patiala here today, the Chief Minister lamented that it was a colossal wastage of resources on preparing Doctors and Super specialists if they emigrate to the countries across the globe for the advancement of their career. Urging the students to serve the ailing mankind in the state especially in the rural and difficult areas like border and kandi, Mr. Badal said that their services were far more needed here and he was sure that they would derive lot of satisfaction, while serving the needy and unprivileged sections of society.
He said that it was the need of the hour to reverse the trend of ‘brain drain’ in which the Doctors were emotionally swayed to settle abroad for the sake of name and fame. Unfolding the perspective of the state government to emerge as a major hub of Super Specialty treatment of Cancer treatment, the Chief Minister said that the setting up of the Homi Bhabha Cancer Treatment and Research Center at Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) under the auspices of Tata Memorial Cancer Institute, Mumbai was a step towards this direction. He said that the state government has already made elaborate arrangements to provide state of the art treatment to the patients afflicted with the cancer in the Government Medical Colleges at Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot besides the upcoming ultra modern Cancer treatment centers in Bathinda and Sangrur. Likewise, Mr. Badal said that the state government had already declared a war on drugs and crores of Rupees were being spent on the establishment of Drug de-addiction centers and Rehabilitation centers for drug addicts across the state. The state government had already sanctioned aplenty of funds for the recruitment of Doctors, psychiatrists and para medics to run these institutions efficiently besides providing free medicines to the patients.
Highlighting the significance of Skill training, the Chief Minister said that the state government was fully seized with the problem of growing unemployment and the only solution to tackle this menace, especially amongst the college/ school drop outs, was to impart Skill training in different fields to enable them to earn their livelihood. He said that the state government has set a target of training nearly one lakh youth annually under various skill development programs in order to cater the needs of the local industry. Mr. Badal also mentioned that the state government has already prepared a detailed program to impart skill training in para medics and 32 other related courses across the state. He also appreciated the efforts of GOMCO Patiala alumnae and Patiala Health Foundation (USA) for supplying medicines worth Rs 1 lakh every month for the needy patients.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced a cash award of Rs 1 lakh each for 11 students who were honored with Gold Medals for outstanding academic performance in different streams and handed a cheque of Rs 11 lakh to the Principal of the College Dr. KD Singh. The Chief Minister felicitated the students with Medals and degrees.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Ministers Mr. Anil Joshi and Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, his Advisor on Health and Medical Education Dr. KK Talwar, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, Secretary Health Mr. Hussan Lal, Vice Chancellor Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Dr. SS Gill and Director Medical Education and Research Dr. Tejbir Singh. Earlier, the Chief Minister also visited the residence of Akali leader Mr. Bhagwan Dass Juneja to share his heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of his son Mr. Gurpal Juneja, who passed away in the prime of his youth.