— Private Hospitals and Medical Colleges volunteered to establish more than 1200 beds for this mission
— Announces Financial Support and Policy Backing for Institutions willing to join mission
Chandigarh, May 14:
In a major boost to Punjab’s ongoing fight against drug ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’, the Nursing colleges and their affiliated hospitals across the state have offered fulsome support to the Punjab Government in enhancing de-addiction facilities across the state. As many as 42 Nursing Colleges have come forward on the Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh’s call to action giving impetus to the state’s efforts to combat substance abuse.
The initiative aims to expand treatment infrastructure by encouraging private institutions to establish ‘Substance Use Disorder Treatment Centres at their premises through a structured Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
During a virtual meeting chaired by Health Minister Balbir Singh, the participating institutions expressed their willingness to contribute by incorporating their available beds under this vital campaign to help bringing victims of substance abuse into the mainstream. Representatives of Private Nursing Colleges and their affiliated hospitals, as well as Private Hospitals participated in the meeting. Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, Secretary Health-cum-nodal officer for the Anti-Drug Campaign Basant Garg, Director Health Dr Hitinder Kaur and Assistant Director Mental Health Dr Sandeep Bhola also attended the meeting.
Highlighting that Private Hospitals and Medical Colleges have also volunteered to establish over 1200 beds for this mission, the Health Minister also exhorted more such institutions to join Punjab Government’s fight against drugs by ramping up the de-addiction treatment facilities at their institutes.
The Punjab Government has proposed an attractive support system for institutions willing to join the mission. Eligible institutes will receive one-time infrastructure assistance of up to ₹20,000 per bed (subject to verification by the District De-addiction and Rehabilitation Society). Besides, this operational cost of ₹1,500 per bed per day, based on actual patient occupancy will also be reimbursed following the verification done by DDRS.
“This public-private partnership model ensures that quality de-addiction services reach more people without financial barriers,” said Dr Balbir Singh. He emphasised that with Punjab currently having only limited number of de-addiction beds (both government and private), the state urgently needs more facilities to accommodate the growing number of individuals seeking help amidst the ongoing drive against drugs.
Highlighting the key responsibilities, the Health Minister said that participating institutions will be required to set up standardised treatment centres which should have air-conditioned wards, functional toilets, RO water, counselling rooms, multipurpose halls, and medical equipment, besides ensuring nutritious and hygenic meals and 24/7 staffing with qualified professionals, including doctors, counsellors, and support staff.
Dr Balbir Singh said that Punjab Government has been fast-tracking the approval process to issue provisional licenses and regulatory approvals and permitting the use of official government logos for campaign branding.
Reiterating Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s vision of making Punjab a “Rangla Punjab” (Vibrant Punjab), Dr Balbir Singh stressed that nursing colleges have a pivotal role in rehabilitating addicts. “Your expertise in healthcare makes you natural allies in this battle. Together, we can restore lives and families,” he appealed.
