Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani today informed that if any person is admitted in the emergency ward of a government hospital, his or her treatment would be totally free of cost for the first 24 hours of his admission. He said that this decision was taken in a bid to provide better healthcare facilities to the public at large. Mr Jyani said this while speaking to media persons after the inauguration of a Community Health Centre (CHC) at Hathur village of the district today.Newly constructed 30-bedded CHC would cater mainly to the residents of 27 nearby villages of Ludhiana, Barnala and Moga districts. Jagraon MLA Mr S R Kler informed that this CHC has been constructed with a cost of more than Rs 6 crore, which has been provided by Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal.While addressing the gathering, MLA Mr Kler urged the Health and Family Minister to increase the capacity of Jagraon Civil Hospital from 50-bedded to 100-bedded as due to shortage of beds, its the patients which suffer. He informed that the Tehsil Complex and Rehabilitation Centre at Jagraon are ready and would be inaugurated by the Chief Minister very soon. He said that for the benefit of Jagraon area residents, a blood bank has been set up, besides the facility of fire brigade has also started there.
In his address to the area residents, Surjit Kumar Jyani said that the problem of shortage of staff in government hospitals would be resolved soon as new doctors would be recruited by the department. He said that several new schemes have been started for the benefit of people, while several other schemes are in the offing.He urged the area residents to lead a simple life, which would help them stay fit. He said that its wrong to say that Punjabi youth have fallen prey to drugs. He said that he travels in different parts of the state, but the issue of drug addiction has been blown out of proportion by their political opponents. He said that Punjabi youth are hardworking and strong and its wrong to call them drug addicts. Jyani said that for providing world class health facilities to the residents of our state, several new hospitals are opened. He said that there is no shortage of funds when it comes to providing healthcare facilities in Punjab. Prominent among those present on the occasion included SDM Mr Rakesh Kumar Popli, Civil Surgeon Dr Renu Chhatwal, SMO Dr J P Singh, Mr Harsurinder Singh Gill, Mr Chand Singh Dalla, besides several others.