Chandigarh: Punjab’s Health Minister, Dr. Balbir Singh, announced on Saturday that the state government has completed the recruitment of 400 new doctors, who will begin serving in civil and sub-divisional hospitals by December. Additionally, out of 980 newly recruited Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), 580 have already received their appointment letters.
During a visit to Kapurthala Civil Hospital to review health facilities, the Health Minister shared that the Punjab government has developed a comprehensive plan to transform civil and sub-divisional hospitals. This plan includes recruiting more doctors and nursing staff, improving emergency services, and renovating hospital buildings. Notably, the civil hospitals in Patiala, Mohali, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana have already undergone significant upgrades, with work set to begin soon at Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.
To enhance emergency care, the Health Minister also announced the establishment of “Patient Facilitation Centres” in hospitals. These centres will be staffed by dedicated teams of doctors and support personnel to ensure effective treatment for emergency cases.
Dr. Singh explained that special teams will be formed to gather feedback from patients regarding the facilities and services at the hospitals. This will help address any issues and improve the overall patient experience.
Addressing concerns about hospital maintenance, the Health Minister mentioned that the state is considering appointing ‘facility managers’ to oversee daily upkeep. This would allow doctors to focus more on patient care.
Furthermore, the Health Minister confirmed that funds have been allocated to establish an ICU at the Civil Hospital in Kapurthala, which will be fully operational soon. He also congratulated AAP candidates on their success in the Punjab by-elections, attributing it to the development-focused policies of Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The Minister visited the Drug De-Addiction Centre, ICU, and emergency ward at Kapurthala Civil Hospital, interacting with patients and reviewing facilities. He also instructed the Civil Surgeon to ensure cleanliness at the hospital.
On the issue of security, the Health Minister emphasized the need for increased patrolling and the installation of CCTV cameras at the Civil Hospital to prevent thefts.