CHANDIGARH, December 29: Desh Click News
Intending to impart world-class health services to the people of Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has been walking extra miles to bolster the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities in the state.
Punjab Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education & Research Minister Dr Balbir Singh said that the ambitious project ‘Aam Aadmi Clinics’ initiated by the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab government for strengthening and transforming primary healthcare in the state has been a huge success as over 2.58 crore (1.08 cr unique patients/ 1.5 crore revisits) people have availed free treatment at these clinics.
Pertinently, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had dedicated 75 Aam Aadmi Clinics to the people of the state to mark the 75th Independence Day, which has now increased 881. Out of these 881 AACs, 316 AACs are located in the urban areas while 565 are located in the rural areas of the State.
He informed that as many as 80 types of medicines and 38 types of diagnostics tests are available for the patients at Aam Aadmi Clinics free of cost. These clinics have contributed in reducing the out of pocket expenditure on health care of people of state by whopping amount of Rs 1200 crore.
Apart from this, as many as 3134 Health and Wellness Centres are operational in the state with the addition of new manpower i.e. Community Health Officers for delivering Comprehensive Primary Health Care.
The Punjab Government has launched the Free Drug Initiative in January 2024, to ensure the availability of all drugs under the essential drugs list (EDL) at Secondary Health facilities. Civil Surgeons and SMOs have been authorised to purchase additional medicines from non-EDL or in case they are short of any particular medicines at local level.
Similarly, the Health Minister said that the Diagnostic Initiative, also launched in January, which provides X-ray and ultrasound facilities at all secondary healthcare facilities, with a total 202 X-ray centres and 389 ultrasound centres have been empanelled to provide services at nominal government fixed rates, in addition to strengthening the existing government facilities.
The number of Colour Dopplers/Ultrasound machines have been increased from 65 to 98 and X-ray machines from 368 to 384 in house after Jan 2024, he said, while adding that now, X-rays and Ultrasound facilities are available in all the District Hospitals (DHs), Sub-Divisional Hospitals (SDHs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs). Till date, a total of 10.11 lakh patients (7.76 lakh availed X -Ray services and 2.34 lakh availed USG services) have utilised these services.
The department has also made significant progress in expanding healthcare infrastructure and services. This includes the operationalisation of the National Midwifery Training Institute (NMTI) in Patiala, the establishment of new Mother and Child Healthcare (MCH) wings, and the expansion of the DNB program to overcome the shortage of specialist doctors.
Dr Balbir Singh said that another major initiative the Punjab STEMI Project, based on the Hub and Spoke model, has been successfully implemented in eight districts, with over 7,000 chest pain patients enrolled. The project aims to provide timely and effective treatment for STEMI (heart attack) patients, with a focus on thrombolysis. The Tenecteplase injection— helps to dissolve blood clots in the heart—, which costs between Rs 25000 to Rs 35000, is being administered free of cost under this project. This injection helps to dissolve blood clots in the heart. The project is now being expanded to the remaining 15 districts, with 4 new hubs including three Government Medical Colleges and AIIMS Bathinda.
The Punjab Government has also launched the Punjab Stroke Project in October 2024, aimed at providing free mechanical thrombectomy to approximately 200 stroke patients suffering from ischemic stroke. The project is also based on the Hub and Spoke model, with CMC Ludhiana as the hub and 3 district hospitals as spokes.
Dr Balbir Singh said that the anti-dengue campaign ‘Har Shukarvaar Dengue Te Vaar’ launched by the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann remained successful with around 55% reduction has been reported in dengue cases in the year 2024 as compared to the previous year and 70% reduction in deaths due to dengue.
He said that to bolster healthcare facilities for patients with kidney ailments, Punjab Government in collaboration with NGOs including The Hans Foundation, Mata Gujri Trust Jagraon and Helpful NGO has been providing free dialysis facility to the patients. Currently, there are 168 dialysis machine established at 40 Dialysis centres at 23 District Hospitals, 14 Sub-Divisional Hospitals, three Community Health Centres. From April 2024 to Nov 2024, 32800 dialysis sessions have been given to 4831 patients.
The Health Minister said that the Farishtey Scheme, launched by the Punjab government to provide immediate, hassle-free treatment to road accident victims, has proven to be a boon in saving precious lives. Since its launch, the scheme has provided free medical treatment to as many as 223 accident victims, showcasing its effectiveness in reducing mortality rates resulting from road accidents. Notably, to encourage common people to come forth and help accident victims and save the lives of the victims, such “Farishteys” are being felicitated with cash reward of Rs 2000, commendation certificates and provided immunity from legal complications and police inquiries. So far, 66 “Farishtas” (good Samaritans) have been registered with the State Health Agency (SHA) Punjab.
He said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has also dedicated Punjab’s first Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in SAS Nagar where people can avail services like UGI Endoscopy, Fibroscan, Endoscopic Ultrasound and ERCP. Notably, the Institute has been established at par with The Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi.
He said that Punjab Government has been providing tertiary care at the Government Medical Colleges including Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot, while, free cancer treatment under the Mukh Mantri Punjab Cancer Raahat Kosh Scheme is being provided at all the Government Medical Colleges in the state, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital Sangrur, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCHRC) in Mullanpur and Advanced Cancer Institute Bathinda.
Dr Balbir Singh said that after the successful launch of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s ambitious project “CM Di Yogshala” in all the districts, the mass campaign aimed at keeping people of Punjab fit and healthy has also spread its wings at village and block level. The Government has recruited 580 yoga trainers and presently, as many as 3284 ‘CM di Yogshalas’ are being organised daily in the morning, wherein, over 1 lakh people are taking advantage of these yoga camps.
