Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, visited Government Medical College & Hospital (GMCH), Chandigarh today and chaired a review meeting with the Heads of Departments to assess the functioning of the institution and discuss measures for further strengthening healthcare services.
The meeting was attended by Shri Mandip Singh Brar, Secretary Home-cum-Medical Education & Research, U.T. Chandigarh, and Shri R.K. Singh, Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Governor, along with the Heads of Departments of GMCH. During the meeting, the Hon’ble Administrator interacted with the Heads of Departments and reviewed the functioning of the various departments.
He took stock of the issues and challenges being faced by the departments and invited suggestions for further strengthening healthcare delivery, medical education, research, infrastructure and patient care. The Hon’ble Administrator stressed the need to develop GMCH, Chandigarh into a centre of excellence by ensuring quality healthcare services, modern infrastructure, efficient medical education and research, and patient-centric facilities.
He emphasised that continuous improvement in healthcare infrastructure and service delivery should remain the institution’s foremost priority to provide the best possible care to patients. During his visit, the Hon’ble Administrator also interacted with volunteers serving under Project SARATHI (Students’ Alliance for Responsible Action to Transform Healthcare Institutes), a volunteer-driven patient facilitation initiative aimed at assisting patients and their attendants in navigating hospital services, improving patient experience and promoting compassionate healthcare delivery.
The Hon’ble Administrator appreciated the efforts of the volunteers and observed that such initiatives significantly enhance patient support and contribute towards creating a more responsive and compassionate healthcare ecosystem. He encouraged the volunteers to continue serving with dedication and empathy.
Project SARATHI was launched at GMCH on May 3, 2026 in collaboration with the Chandigarh NSS Cell, Chandigarh Administration, with the objective of strengthening patient facilitation and improving the overall hospital experience for patients and their attendants.