Vacant posts of doctor, other staff to be filled soon: Health Minister Balbir Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 17

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Friday said the process to address the scarcity of specialist doctors in government hospitals would be initiated shortly in order to ensure quality healthcare services for people across the state.

Dr Balbir Singh said Aam Aadmi Clinics were started with the goal of providing world-class health services to the people. He said with the successful operationalisation of 504 Aam Aadmi clinics, 142 more clinics were to be opened in the time to come. The minister said the wellness centres were already operating as earlier and with Aam Aadmi clinics, the people had been getting quality healthcare services where 80 different medicines and 41 tests were being carried out free of cost.

He said so far, more than one lakh tests had been conducted in these clinics and more than 10.5 lakh people had already availed the treatment.

Dr Balbir Singh said government hospitals would soon fill vacant posts of doctor, paramedical and supporting staff, besides establishing ultra-modern health infrastructure. He said the Punjab Government would also start a district residency programme to offer quality treatment with the support of doctors from medical colleges and private hospitals. He said apart from Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala, the process of opening medical colleges in Malerkotla and Sangrur had also been started in the next phase.

The minister said efforts were being made by the Punjab Government to boost Ayurveda, Naturopathy treatment at Guru Ravidas Ayurved University and the restarting of the Ayurvedic College in Patiala. He said yogashalas were being initiated in various places. He said the Farishte scheme, being launched by the Punjab Government, would be helpful in medical emergencies and road accidents.

The minister added that the Punjab Government would give Rs 2,000 as honorarium to those who bring and get the victim admitted to the hospitals. He said the victims would get free treatment as the expenditure would be borne by the government.

The Minister was welcomed by Deputy Commissioner Jaspreet Singh.

Prominent among present on the occasion included MLAs Balkar Singh and Raman Arora, Punjab Agri Export Corporation Chairman Mangal Singh, Punjab State Container and Warehousing Corporation Chairperson Rajwinder Kaur Thiara, District Planning Committee Chairman Amritpal Singh and officers from the Health Department. Interacting with the Civil Surgeon and Medical Superintendent Dr Rajiv Sharma, the Health Minister took details of progress in COVID vaccination, Ayushman Bharat Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana, UDID reports, RBSK, inspection of ultra sound centres, de-addiction centres, functioning of Aam Aadmi Clinics, ex-gratia to victims of COVID-19 pandemic, urban and rural wellness centres.

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