Punjab CM launches healthcare projects of Rs 125 crore
Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Sep, 2021 10:34 AM
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.
The Centre on Thursday announced the first instalment of a fiscal relief package, worth Rs 170,000 crore, to protect the weaker sections of the society from the economic fallout of Covid-19.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Thursday announced immediate distribution of 10 lakh packets of dry ration to daily wagers and unorganised labourers to help them during the curfew because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Urging the police personnel to exercise maximum restraint in the difficult situation, the Chief Minister asked them to find more compassionate ways of handling curfew violations, especially in cases of individuals found moving out for essentials.
A 63-year-old woman from Kangra who failed to disclose her travel history following her return from Dubai and was later tested positive for COVID-19 has been booked under Section 270 of the IPC, which carries a maximum imprisonment of upto two years.
In an unprecedented incident, a Mumbai man allegedly killed his younger brother for trying to step out of home during the ongoing 21-day lockdown period, police said here on Thursday.
