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Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh chairs Civil Surgeons’ Conference, Issues Strict Directives for Patients’ Welfare
CHANDIGARH, October 14:
Embarking on a comprehensive mission to further elevate the public healthcare infrastructure in the state, Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is all set to open 236 new Aam Aadmi Clinics— taking the total to 1,117 clinics, announced Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh here on Tuesday.
The Health Minister was presiding over a high-level meeting with Civil Surgeons.
Highlighting the resounding success of the Aam Aadmi Clinics, Dr Balbir Singh, said that the initiative has significantly improved public access to quality primary care. Citing a recent Patient Feedback Survey by the Punjab Development Commission, he noted that a remarkable 96% of patients expressed satisfaction with the clinics’ services, underscoring their effectiveness.
Reaffirming the state government’s commitment to prioritising citizens’ health and well-being, Dr. Balbir Singh directed Civil Surgeons to expedite the establishment of new Aam Aadmi Clinics and promptly initiate recruitment of doctors and essential staff to ensure timely operationalisation of the Clinics. He said that the primary healthcare network will receive a significant boost through the distribution of Health Kits to ASHAs and essential equipment to Community Health Officers (CHOs), enhancing grassroots-level care delivery.
Dr. Balbir Singh announced that Punjab is pioneering the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for early detection and management of critical diseases like breast cancer and stroke. A significant initiative in preventive child health will equip all 250 RBSK teams with AI auto refractor devices to enhance detection of refractive errors in school children. The program will provide affected children with spectacles, safeguarding their vision and future.
Underlining the state’s proactive and elaborate preventive measures, which led to yield extraordinary results in the fight against vector-borne diseases Dr. Balbir Singh highlighted the exceptional success of the ‘Har Shukarvar Dengue Te Var’ campaign, which has resulted in a remarkable 80% decrease in Dengue cases compared to 2023. Civil Surgeons were instructed to intensify anti-dengue activities in potential hotspot areas to ensure this positive trend continues.
In a move to foster a culture of excellence and dedication, the Health Minister lauded the heroic efforts of doctors and paramedical staff during the recent floods and promised the unveiling of a new policy to annually honour and recognise hard-working personnel.The Minister also honoured Civil Surgeon Dr Sangeeta Jain, Dr Arshdeep Kaur, Dr Manahar Kaur, Dr Vasudha, Dr Dharamveer Ahir and Bhawandeep Kaur for their excellent contribution in various health programs.
In his address to the Civil Surgeons, Dr. Balbir Singh said “The health and well-being of our citizens is the top priority of the Punjab government. I issue a clear mandate: conduct regular, rigorous reviews of health services, ensure all our facilities are fully equipped and abundantly stocked, and most importantly—I ask our doctors to serve every single patient with a smile, compassion, and empathy. This commitment to both clinical excellence and human kindness is what defines our mission.”
Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, Special Secretary cum MD NHM Ghanshyam Thori and MD PHSC Amit Talwar, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr Hitinder Kaur, Director Health Services (FamilyWelfare) Dr Aditi Salaria, Director (ESI) Dr Anil Kumar Goyal, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors and other Health Officials —to uphold the highest standards of patient welfare and to translate the Minister’s vision into tangible reality across the state.
