Punjab revamps critical care across Government hospitals

In a decisive move to strengthen Punjab’s healthcare infrastructure as per the vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Tuesday issued strict directives to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply and power backup in all critical care units, including ICUs, Operation Theatres (OTs), and emergency wards across all government health facilities in the state.

Presiding over a high-level meeting with Civil Surgeons from all districts, Dr Balbir Singh emphasised the need for 24x7 oxygen availability, functional UPS systems, and fully operational generator sets to prevent any disruption in life-saving medical services.

The Health Minister also issued stringent directives regarding medicine supply, instructing Civil Surgeons to maintain at least one month's buffer stock of all 368 types of essential medicines and warned against any shortage of essential medicines. "No patient should be prescribed any medicines from outside the hospital," he declared, while reiterating that the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led government’s commitment to ensure free and accessible healthcare.

He further said that Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) have been empowered to purchase any non-essential medicine as per their requirement, warning that strict disciplinary action would be taken against any non-complying medical officer. To bolster the medicine dispensing system and overall patient experience, Civil Surgeons and SMOs were also directed to daily visit OPDs and collect patient feedback.

To further enhance patient satisfaction, Dr Balbir Singh directed Civil Surgeons to ensure that Outpatient Department (OPD) services must be delivered within an hour of the registration.

In another move to enhance critical care capabilities, Dr Balbir Singh announced that every doctor and paramedic, including staff nurses, will undergo training in critical care and advanced life support. He also tasked each Civil Surgeon with submitting their district's health status in comparison to the Millennium Development Goals, enabling the department to set targets for better progress.

The Health Minister asked Civil Surgeons to leverage the Mass Education and Media wing of the department to create widespread awareness about the "Farishtey" scheme and the availability of Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs in Aam Aadmi Clinics across the state.

The Health Minister also announced that approximately one thousand new doctors will be joining in the coming months as the recruitment process is near completion which will considerably improve the quality of health services being delivered.

On the occasion, Chairman PHSC Raman Behl , Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, Member Punjab Development Commission Anurag Kundu, Special Secretary Health-cum-MD NHM Ghanshyam Thori, MD PHSC Amit Talwar, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr Hitinder Kaur, Director Family Welfare Dr Jasminder, Director ESI Dr Jaspreet Kaur, Director PHSC Dr Anil Goyal, Director (Procurement) PHSC Dr Pawanpreet Kaur, Deputy Directors were also present.