Health Minister Inaugurates Dialysis Centers at Eight Government Hospitals in Punjab
Chandigarh/Patiala, September 25: In a significant step towards strengthening healthcare facilities for kidney patients, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh inaugurated eight state-of-the-art Dialysis Centers established with the support of Hans Foundation Dehradun, at various Government Hospitals across the state.
The Health Minister inaugurated the facility at Mata Kaushalya Government Hospital in Patiala, while simultaneously launching centers in seven other cities, including Amritsar, Malerkotla, Moga, Goniana, Fazilka, Faridkot, and Jalandhar, through a virtual ceremony.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Dr. Rupinder Singh Gill, Nodal Officer for the Dialysis Program, and Seema Singh, Group Senior Manager from Hans Foundation, in the presence of Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on February 27, 2024. As per the MoU, the Hans Foundation will provide trained medical officers and other staff, consumables, dialysis machines, and RO plants to the department and will supervise the functioning of these centers.
Dr. Balbir Singh stated that under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, this groundbreaking collaboration with Hans Foundation aims to provide free-of-cost dialysis facilities and significantly improve access to renal care across the state.
He mentioned that by utilizing ABHA ID compliance, any patient can access dialysis services at any center in the state. In addition to free dialysis, all essential medications will also be provided at no cost. The program adopts a holistic approach, addressing both the medical and financial challenges faced by kidney disease patients.
“Initially, the dialysis centers have been established in eight government facilities benefiting thousands of needy patients. The program plans to expand to all government health facilities, ensuring accessible and quality healthcare for all,” said Dr. Balbir Singh.
He added that with the establishment of 872 Aam Aadmi Clinics, Punjab’s primary healthcare facilities have received a significant boost, paving the way for a substantial decrease in kidney ailments in the coming years. He attributed the majority of kidney failures to high blood pressure and diabetes, emphasizing that these clinics and the free availability of drugs have been instrumental in early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.
The Health Minister commended the Hans Foundation, a Public Charitable Trust dedicated to enhancing quality of life, for their steadfast commitment to expanding healthcare services in Punjab. He also emphasized that the state government has been prioritizing Public-NGO partnerships over Public-Private partnerships, as this model is more beneficial to the public.
Dr. Balbir Singh further highlighted that Punjab’s Primary Care model and the Farishtey Scheme, which ensures last-mile delivery of medicines, were recently praised at a seminar in Nairobi, Kenya, as models to be adopted globally.
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He also announced plans to equip all district hospitals in Punjab with emergency services, NICU, and ICU facilities. He invited NGOs to collaborate with the Punjab Government in both health and medical education sectors to provide better healthcare services to the people.
Meanwhile, 30 new dialysis machines were inaugurated on Wednesday, with six installed at MKH Patiala, three each at other hospitals, and one machine specifically reserved for HIV-positive patients. Currently, the state has 41 sub-divisional hospitals and 23 district hospitals, of which 39 are equipped with dialysis facilities. The state government aims to increase this number to 64 in the near future.
