Chandigarh 19 February:
Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu on Friday handed over the appointment letters to 771 new Community Health Officers (CHOs) for extending healthcare services at Health & Wellness Centres (HCWs) under the Ghar Ghar Rozgar Yojna initiated by Chief Minister Captian Amarinder Singh.
Disclosing this on the occasion, Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that Punjab had earlier operationalized 1607 Tandrust Punajab Sehat Kendra (HWCs) at the village level which would now go up to 2378. He said that Punjab Government has already achieved the target of 142% to set up new HWCs/Sub-Centres across the State.
Welcoming the newly joined staff in the Health Department, Mr. Sidhu urged them to perform the duties honestly. He said that CHOs have been providing the Comprehensive Primary Health Services to people of Rural areas and they did a remarkable job during the lockdown.
Briefing about the services being provided at these Tandrust Punjab Sehat Kendras, he said that 27 essential medicines and 6 Diagnostics tests/ services are available at these centres. As HWCs.have penetrated the remotest area of the State, the program is already fulfilling the basic primary and quality health care needs of the families living in such areas.
The special focus of HWCs is on screening people for chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, asthma, etc, and provides free of cost medicines for the same. He said that when the patient put on treatment by the CHOs, it provides permanent relief to him/her and also reduces the burden on the secondary health services.
Speaking on the occasion Principal Secretary Health Mr. Hussan Lal welcomed the new Community Health Officers. He also said that Punjab has managed the COVID-19 pandemic very well and this became possible only because of the selfless services of our Health and frontline workers.
On the occasion, Special Secretary Health Mr. Amit Kumar, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr. GB Singh, OSD to Health Minister, Dr.Balwinder Singh, Political Secretary/Health Minister Mr. Harkesh Sharma, Director National Health Mission Dr.Areet Kaur, and other senior officers of the department were present as well.
