Mohali, 11th June, 2009: A meeting of Gynecologists and Female Medical Officers working in CHC’s and PHC’s under National Rural Health Mission Project Punjab was held here today at Mohali under the chairpersonship of Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Health & Family Welfare Minister, Punjab. Sh. A.R. Talwar, Principal Secretary Health; Sh. Satish Chandra, Mission Director, NRHM; Dr. J.P. Singh, Director Family Welfare were present during the meeting.
Addressing the Female Doctors and Gynecologists, Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla emphasized them to make earnest efforts to further increase the number of institutional deliveries in the Govt. hospitals, while at the same time stressed them to serve the patients in sympathetic and compassionate manner, specially the poor patients coming from rural areas for deliveries. She said that government is committed to provide better health care services and is making efforts to improve certain under-performing CHCs and PHCs of the state by strengthening and providing adequate staff and infrastructure in such institutions under the National Rural Health Mission project.
Prof. Chawla further stated that government has decided to provide free of cost treatment in government hospitals to the children studying in government and government aided schools. While replying a query of media persons, she stated that in view of the summer season proper measures have been taken to check the possible sale of adulterated food items including synthetic milk, paneer and other eatables.
Sh. A.R. Talwar, Principal secretary told that government is further strengthening maternal care services and delivery services for pregnant women in the government hospitals through National Rural Health Mission. He said the hospitals where the number of institutional delivers were lesser, there adequate staff is being provided to improve the same. Necessary infrastructure, equipment and medicine etc are being provided to these institutions.
Sh. Satish Chandra, Mission Director, NRHM informed that the project is targeted to reduce maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR). He said that last year 70 lady doctors were appointed in various hospitals where delivery rate was less, after which a good improvement has been witnessed as compared to last year. He said that in 2007-08, the number of institutional deliveries were 44,451 which has improved to 66451 in 2008-09. Similarly the number of beneficiaries under Janani Suraksha Yojna was 29256 in the year 2007-08 whereas the same have risen to 67911 in the year 2008-09. He said the remaining vacant posts of doctors would be filled soon.
During the meeting, the Gynecologists and Female Medical Doctors brought to the notice of Health Minister and other senior officers the difficulties being faced by them, and they were assured for early solutions by the officers.