The Punjab will soon emerge as a state with ultra modern state-of-the-art health care facilities, where people from across the globe would prefer and rely to get themself treated especially in cancer cure under the supervision of highly qualified doctors.Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal stated this today while addressing a galaxy of Medical professionals during a function organized by Indian Medical Association (IMA) to inaugurate its newly constructed IMA Auditorium in the premises of up coming IMA Bhawan here. He was accompanied by his Advisor Mr. Maheshinder Singh Grewal. The Chief Minister said that fulfilling its firm commitment to create a world class health care environment in the state, the SAD-BJP government had initiated a massive health care plan under which the entire state health care network had been upgraded and revamped in terms of creating new Infrastructure and availing modern equipment at various districts, pisional and sub pisional hospitals and dispensaries in a phased manner at a cost of Rs 350 crore.
Mr. Badal Calls upon the medical fraternity to work in sync with the State government’s plan to deliver best health care facilities to the needy people in the state. He also urged them to spare at least one day in every month for social work especially in rural area for which the state government would provied fulsome support and cooperation to IMA.
The Chief Minister said that keeping in view the degree of affliction, the state government had already launched a crusade against cancer and drugs. The Punjab government had also created ‘Cancer and Drug de-addiction Treatment Fund’ in which Rs. 300 crore would be collected every year from various resources and be utilized for eradicating these woes completely. “A Cancer Hospital on the lines of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai is being set up at Mullanpur near Chandigarh for which the state government has already given 50 acres of its prime land, besides Cancer Care facility in District Hospital Sangrur is being established in collaboration with TMC, Mumbai,” said Mr. Badal. Likewise, a 100 bedded advanced Cancer Centre was being establish at Bathinda to tackle the menace of Cancer in the region in an effective manner, added Mr. Badal. The state government was also setting up two ultra modern Cancer diagnostic and Treatment Centers at Amritsar and Patiala. Efforts were being made to ensure that cancer patients get medicines free of cost, said the Chief Minister.
He said that state government had strengthen the existing net work of de-addiction centers in all the district and sub-pisional hospitals besides initiating a plan to establish five big drug de-addiction centers at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Faridkot and Bathinda at a cost of Rs. 25 crore. Speaking on the occasion Advisor to the Chief Minister Mr. Maheshinder Singh Grewal said that it was only the state government that had launched a unique scheme under the guidance of the Chief Minister Mr. Badal to provide Rs 1.50 lac as financial aid for the treatment of each cancer patient. He further said that for the first time SAD-BJP government had initiated the registry of cancer patients in the state, besides launching a special state-wide mass cancer awareness and early detection campaign. Earlier, Mr. Badal inaugurated the newly constructed IMA Auditorium. He also announced a grant of Rs. 10 lac to IMA Punjab.On the occasion President IMA Punjab Dr. Manoj Kumar Sobti on behalf of the association welcomed and thanked the Chief Minister for his valuable time for their function.Prominent amongst those were present on the occasion included Former Minister and Chairman District planning Board Mr. Hira Singh Gabria, Dr. Malti Thaper, President IMA Ludhiana Dr. Karamvir Goyal besides renowned Medical Professionals.