Rain havoc: Punjab Health Minister stops deployment of ambulances with VIPs, to be used in flood-affected areas

Tribune News Service

Ropar, July 15

Punjab Health and Family Welfare minister Dr Balbir Singh has ordered all the civil surgeons to stop deployment of ambulances with ministers and other VIPs except Chief Minister of Punjab. All these ambulances should be deployed in flood affected areas, he said.

Chairing a meeting of district administration and representatives of Indian Medical Association and religious and social organisations at the committee room of the Mini Secretariat here on Saturday, Dr Balbir Singh said instructions have also been issued to all the civil surgeons that essential medicines should be delivered to the people stranded in deluge through boats, and ambulances should be deployed near flood affected areas so that if need arises, there should not be any difficulty in transporting patients to hospitals.

In order to provide the best health facilities in flood-affected areas medical camps were being organised by the government with the support of non-government organisations to save people from diseases and medicines are also being provided free of cost to the patients, he added.

Appealing the representatives of the Indian Medical Association and other organisations, Dr Balbir Singh said they should deploy medical staff in the flood-affected areas with ambulances along with medicines and also support in providing other essential services if required.

President of Indian Medical Association, Rupnagar, Dr Bhanu Pratap Parmar said four ambulances along with medical staff will be sent immediately under the supervision of the civil surgeon.

While talking to the media, on the question of shortage of doctors, Dr Balbir Singh said the department has already recruited 550 house surgeons, out of which 10 house surgeons have been appointed for emergency services in Ropar district. He said that after getting the approval from the Punjab government, the process of recruiting two thousand more medical and paramedical staff in the health and family welfare department will be started soon.

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