Punjab CM launches healthcare projects of Rs 125 crore

Chandigarh, Sep 13 (IANS) In a leap forward towards providing best and affordable healthcare services to Punjab's residents, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday virtually dedicated projects of Rs 125 crore, including the statewide radio diagnostic and laboratory services and the revamped 108 ambulance emergency response system.

Launching the ambitious projects from Batala and Mohali on the auspicious occasion of the 534th marriage anniversary ("Vhyah Purb") of Guru Nanak Dev, he also dedicated the first-of-its-kind CM e-Clinic facility pilot in Batala to effectively address shortage of specialist medical counselling and treatment in rural areas.

There can be no better day than the 'Babe Da Vyah Utsav' for the launch of these facilities, said Amarinder Singh, extending his greetings to people on the pious occasion.

The highly specialised medical services to be rolled out across the state by end November will prove to be a boon for people, especially the poor for whom expert private sector medical care is out of reach, he said.

For this project, Punjab has been divided into six parts in which one MRI and 25 CT scan facilities would cover every district hospital at a cost of Rs 80 crore, besides one reference lab, 30 district laboratories, and 95 collection centres would be covering 23 districts at a cost of Rs 25 crore to ensure round-the-clock medical services.

The Chief Minister said five per cent of the total cases will be provided free diagnostic facilities to provide help to needy. The projects entail an employment generation potential for 750 people who would be trained as technicians.

The projects would be launched by state on a public private partnership mode in collaboration with Krsnaa Diagnostics Ltd.

Under the revamped Dial 108 Ambulance Emergency Response System Service, innovations in information technology have been co-opted into the existing 104 and 112 medical helplines further streamlining the service delivery mechanism. Relatives of patients can track the movement of ambulances online for quick and timely delivery of emergency service.