Punjab Launches Major Campaign to Strengthen Secondary Healthcare Facilities

Punjab Launches Major Campaign to Strengthen Secondary Healthcare Facilities

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today launched a major campaign for infrastructure upgradation/strengthening of secondary healthcare facilities across the state at a cost of Rs 1300 crore.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a major campaign on October 2, 2023, to upgrade/strengthen secondary healthcare facilities across the state at a cost of Rs 1300 crore. The project will be carried out in a phased manner, with the first phase covering 19 District Hospitals, 6 Sub Divisional Hospitals, and 15 CHCs at an estimated cost of Rs. 402 crores.

The project includes setting up dedicated patient facilitation centers, constructing fully equipped Modular Operation Theaters (OTs), strengthening Emergency Blocks, and opening Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in all the District Hospitals. The government has also established and operationalized 664 Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) in the state in the last one year to provide primary health care services to the community at its doorstep.

In addition, the government is laying focus on augmenting the manpower in government hospitals and has so far recruited nine super specialists, 299 specialists, 1094 staff nurses, 122 para medics, 113 clerks, and others. The government has also empaneled 633 Medical officers, 636 Pharmacists, 429 Clinic Assistants, and 172 Sweeper cum Helpers to provide seamless and high-quality services at Aam Aadmi Clinics.

The number of MBBS seats have been increased by 25 each at GMC, Patiala and Faridkot Medical Colleges. New Medical Colleges with 100 MBBS seats are being established at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur at an estimated cost of Rs.415 crores. A special project “CM Di Yogshala” has also been launched in Punjab to encourage and provide regular yoga sessions to the citizens.

The project is expected to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare services to the people of Punjab, reduce the burden on the state’s tertiary healthcare facilities, and generate employment opportunities in the healthcare sector.

Key Highlights

• The project will be carried out in a phased manner, with the first phase covering 19 District Hospitals, 6 Sub Divisional Hospitals, and 15 CHCs at an estimated cost of Rs. 402 crores.
• As a part of this project, the government has decided to set up a dedicated patient facilitation center to assist and guide the patients with regard to the services in the hospitals, distribution of various specialties, and others.
• A fully equipped Modular Operation Theaters (OTs) will be constructed in each of these Healthcare Facilities and the Emergency Blocks will be further strengthened with the availability of all equipment including Ventilators, Cardiac monitors, and others.
• The Intensive Care Units (ICUs) will be opened in all the District Hospitals.
• The Punjab government has also established and operationalized 664 Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) in the state in the last one year with an objective to provide primary health care services to the community at its doorstep.
• Dedicated centers providing maternal health and child health care services are being set up by the government and such centers have been dedicated to people at Kharar and Budhlada whereas such centers at Nakodar and Raikot will soon be dedicated to the people.
• The government is laying focus on augmenting the manpower in government hospitals and so far nine super specialists, 299 specialists, 1094 staff nurses, 122 para medics, 113 clerks, and others have been recruited in the health department.
• The government has also empaneled, on per patient basis, 633 Medical officers, 636 Pharmacists, 429 Clinic Assistants, and 172 Sweeper cum Helpers to provide seamless and high-quality services to the citizens at Aam Aadmi Clinics established by it.
• The number of MBBS seats have been increased by 25 each at GMC, Patiala and Faridkot Medical Colleges.
• New Medical Colleges with 100 MBBS seats are being established at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur at an estimated cost of Rs.415 crores.
• A special project “CM Di Yogshala” has been launched in Punjab to encourage and provide regular yoga sessions to the citizens. More than 300 supervised classes are being held six days a week in different cities of the State in which nearly 10,000 citizens have been participating in these Yoga sessions. About 180 more trainers have completed their training sessions and will start taking classes from October 4th.

Benefits of the Project

The project is expected to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare services to the people of Punjab. It will also help to reduce the burden on the state’s tertiary healthcare facilities. The project is also expected to generate employment opportunities in the healthcare sector.