16th, April, 2022

 

 

Topic: Health Care Initiative in Punjab

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Block Health Melas to be organized in Punjab from April 18: Dr. Vijay Singla.
• Stresses on to increase awareness for prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

 

The Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Vijay Singla today announced:

1) Holding of Health Melas in the state from April 18 as the state has a dual burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases and many of these diseases can be prevented by early diagnosis, providing health education, timely referral and management. Besides, lack of awareness and poor health seeking behavior have been found to be the major underlying causes of many diseases, said Dr. Singla.

2) While informing about organizing of these Health Melas, he further stated that early diagnosis and prevention can significantly reduce the rate of morbidity and preventable mortality. The Melas would be held at the block level where information on various diseases and their preventive measures will be provided, along with other healthcare services.

How these Health Melas will help:

• Divulging more, the Health Minister said that these Melas will prove to be important for creating awareness about different schemes and programs of the Government, and not just of the Health & Family Welfare, as many other departments of the government, such as Department of Food and supplies, Department of Youth Affairs & Sports, Department of AYUSH, Department of School Education, Department of Women and Child Development, Department of Information and Public Relations, Department of Panchayati Raj Institution & Urban Development will participate in these melas.
• The Cabinet Minister stressed on the need to increase health awareness amongst the populace for prevention of various communicable and non-communicable diseases and these melas will motivate beneficiaries through innovative mass media and mid-media activities to make positive health behavior changes.
• On the occasion, the Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Department Punjab Mr. Raj Kamal Chaudhari stated that detailed instructions have been issued to all the Deputy Commissioners of the state regarding the successful organization of these Health Melas and these Health Melas envisage to attract a huge number of people desiring to avail quality health care services with free essential pathological tests and medicines.
• These melas will also help in informing people about the various health programs being executed by the government and various facilities such as laboratory services, consultation, medicine and treatment, referral etc. will be available at one location, added the Principal Secretary.

(Source: Punjab Government)

 

 

Topic: Rural Healthcare Infrastructure

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Mains

 

What is the news?

• It’s been 16 years since the revision in budgetary allocation for medicines in rural dispensaries. Every month, medicines worth Rs 7,500 are given to each dispensary falling under the jurisdiction of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat.

 

Dr JP Narula, President, Rural medical services association, Punjab shared:

• The monthly allocation of Rs. 7,500 for medicines is insufficient as one dispensary sometimes caters to around two to three villages. The allocation must be revised to Rs. 12,000-Rs. 15,000.
• There are 560 dispensaries under the department.
• With inflation galloping, Rs 7,500 is a meagre amount to provide patients with basic healthcare infrastructure in villages.

 

Challenges shared:

• During the peak of Covid pandemic, no medicines were supplied to dispensaries as medical officers were deployed at Covid centres. Now that medical officers have returned to their places of posting, medicines are being supplied again, but the quality and quantity leave much to be desired.
• In 2006, rural dispensaries were shifted under the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats. There has been no revision in the budgetary allocation since.
• Dr JP Narula, president, Rural Medical Services Association, Punjab, said previous government always ignored rural dispensaries.

 

Demand:

• “The monthly allocation of Rs 7,500 for medicines is insufficient as one dispensary sometimes caters to two to three villages. The allocation must be revised to Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000,” he said.
• The unavailability of medicines at dispensaries forces rural population to approach uncertified private medical practitioners. “With summers approaching, dengue.

(Source: Punjab Tribune)

 

Some More News:

1) 30 days Report Card of Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Now the people of Punjab will get 300 units of free electricity from July 1.