Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, In a bid to provide the latest diagnostic and treatment facilities to the cancer patients in Punjab, the State-of-the-art Homi Bhabha Cancer Super Specialty Hospital at Sangrur and Advanced Cancer Treatment & Research Center (ACTRC) at Bathinda would be made functional and dedicated to the nation in the last week of January, 2015.
This decision was taken during a high level meeting, of senior officers with a team of experts led by Director Tata Memorial Center Dr. RA Badwe, chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here at CMO this morning.
The Chief Minister was apprised by Dr. Badwe that the requisite infrastructure of high end technology along with manpower have been put in place at 50-bedded cancer care facility at Sangrur and 100-bedded at Bathinda, which would be made operational from the first week of January on trial basis and subsequently on regular basis by the third or last week of January. Dr. Badwe also informed the Chief Minister that the construction work on the upcoming prestigious Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Institute at Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) would begin in April, 2015 and would be completed within two years. He said that the project consultant had already been appointed and the necessary clearances for the installation of infrastructure and medical equipments have already been got from the Department of Atomic Energy, GoI.
Expressing satisfaction over the path-breaking initiatives taken by the Punjab government to provide the best treatment facilities to the patients inflicted with cancer, Dr. Badwe felicitated the Chief Minister for his vision and deep concern for the cancer patients, especially the poor who had fallen prey to the monster of cancer due to lack of awareness and adequate resources. Dr. Badwe exhorted the other states to emulate the Punjab model of cancer, which had already taken a lead in the country to curb menace of deadly disease of cancer. He also shared the inputs related to the encouraging results put forth by the joint efforts of State Health Department, PGIMER Chandigarh and Tata Memorial Center for the identification of cancer patients across the state so as to treat them effectively and timely.
Highly appreciating the efforts of TMC under the stewardship of Dr. Badwe, the Chief Minister proudly mentioned that now Punjab could be aptly adjudged as one of the few leading states which were providing the best and the latest cancer treatment and diagnostic facilities at par with international standards. The Chief Minister also asked the Principal Secretary Health to hasten the pace of establishing the advanced cancer facilities in the Govt. Medical Colleges at Patiala and Amritsar.
The Chief Minister asked the Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development to ensure hassle free connectivity to Home Bhabha Hospital & Research Institute Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) through the widening and strengthening of the roads and also directed the MD PHSC to tie up with Deputy Commissioner Sangrur to provide residential accommodation to the newly appointed doctors and other staff members at Sangrur. Likewise, Mr. Badal also asked the Principal Secretary Power to provide a separate 24×7 hotline to the Sangrur Cancer Super Speciality Hospital within a week. Mr. Badal also gave nod to provide two vehicles to the Sangrur cancer institute for creating awareness amongst the general public of Sangrur and Mansa district about the cancer. The Chief Minister also agreed to the request of Dr. Badwe to provide sufficient office space at Punjab Mandi Board complex, Mohali to the team of TMC for the execution of Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) project.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Principal Secretary Health Mrs. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development Mr. Visawjit Khanna, Principal Secretary Power Mr. Anirudh Tiwari, MD Punjab Health System Corporation Mr. Hussan Lal, Special Secretary Health Mr. Vikas Garg and DRME Mr. Gurdeep Singh Kalyan, Deputy Director Health Dr. Jai Singh, Project Consultant TMC Mr. Anbumani besides Chief Minister’s Special Principal Secretaries Mr.KJS Cheema, Mr. S.Karna Raju and Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar.
