Surjit Kumar Jyani, health and family welfare minister, Punjab, on Monday, inaugurated two community health centres (CHCs) one each at Bajakhana in Faridkot and Mehal Kalan in Barnala.
The building of the 30-bedded CHC at Bazakhana has been built at a cost of Rs 5.81 crore. It is supposed to serve about 30 surrounding villages with a population of about 50,000. The health department has deputed 4 specialists and 2 medical officers at the centre.
The building of the 30-bedded centre at Mehal Kalan has also been built at a cost of Rs 5.25 crore. The hospital, to be run by Punjab health systems corporation, will provide health care facilities to 38 villages of the Mehal Kalan block.
The two-storey hospital has air-conditioned operation theatre and a labour room. It has separate wards for men and women, besides private rooms. Jyani said the process of recruiting specialist doctors was going on in a phased manner as the state had a shortage of 327 doctors.
Jyani said 530 nurses would also be recruited soon. He said a district hospital in Barnala would be established by upgrading the infrastructure. Jyani said 250 life-saving drugs would be provided free of cost in civil hospitals across the state.
Meanwhile, the minister also inaugurated a 10-bedded drug de-addiction centre costing ` 60 lakh at the civil hospital at Barnala. Jyani said it would take about one-and-a-half years to eradicate the menace of drug addiction fully from the state. He said 3.68 lakh persons are taking treatment through OPDs at hospitals and another 1.60 lakh through camps organized for de-addiction.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the minister also inaugurated a 10-bedded drug de-addiction centre costing ` 60 lakh at the civil hospital at Barnala. Jyani said it would take about one-and-a-half years to eradicate the menace of drug addiction fully from the state. He said 3.68 lakh persons are taking treatment through OPDs at hospitals and another 1.60 lakh through camps organized for de-addiction.
{{/usCountry}}Jyani said the state's drive against drugs was not limited to de-addiction only, rather efforts were on to rehabilitate the addicts with the cooperation of the police, the administration and the public.
Jyani said medical officers had got special training from Postgraduate institute of medical education and research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. 16,000 ASHA workers were also trained for this purpose.
Vacancies of 54 psychiatrists would be filled soon, said Jyani.