As the Punjab government has allocated a budget of Rs 4,015 for health care services in the state, the Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra on Sunday said that the substantial 13 percent hike in the health budget will provide the quality and affordable health services to the citizens of Punjab.

Terming the budget 2018-19 pro-poor and pro-farmer progressive, Mohindra said that with the enhanced outlay for the health sector now the prime duty of the health department would be to prompt the accessibility of healthcare services in the government hospitals.

He said that Amarinder Singh led Congress government is committed to restore pristine glory of health and medical education departments by providing equitable, accessible and affordable quality health services to its entire population particularly the underserved.

Giving details about the National Health Mission (NHM), he said that under the flagship programme of NHM, the proposed allocation is also 18 percent higher as compare to the last year’s allocation of Rs 776.63 Crore. He said that Rs 914.57 Crore is proposed during 2018-19 for up gradation of health infrastructure, provisioning of equipments, diagnostics and free drugs for the patients.

Health Minister said that undoubtedly it is the beginning of golden era of medical education and research as the Punjab government has decided to set up two more medical colleges, apart from one medical college at S A S Nagar. He also said that a total of Rs 73.34 Crore is being earmarked in the budget for the up gradation of government medical college Patiala and government medical college, Amritsar. He said that the government also proposed to upgrade the government medical college, Faridkot and advance cancer hospital Bathinda and for this purpose a sum of Rs 10 crore has been earmarked.

He said that in order to facilitate tertiary health care services for the patients suffering from the cancer, Punjab government has decided to construct a state cancer institute at Amritsar with the cost of Rs 39 Crore, and a tertiary cancer care centre at Fazilka costing Rs 45 Crore.

“In a bid to provide immediate care to victims of accidents, state government propose to build trauma centers on the important highways for which initial budgetary allocation of Rs 20 Crore  has been made in the budget”, he said.

He added that the soon government would also set up new hospitals at Doraha in Ludhiana and Ghanour in Patiala, and upgrade the existing civil hospital, Bathinda on priority basis.