Ludhiana, April 29
Hira Singh Gabria, minister for jails, called upon the private institutions and NGOs working in the field of providing medical facilities to come forward and join hands with the government for improving the medical and healthcare delivery for the poor living in the rural and remote areas.
He was addressing a function organised to hand over the control of Mata Kaushalya Devi Pahwa Charitable Hospital, Hambran, 20 km from here, to Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) today.
The minister admitted that the health facilities, being provided by the government in its hospitals, were not satisfactory and there was also an acute shortage of the staff.
The main reason, he asserted, was that the doctors appointed in the government hospitals were reluctant to serve in the rural areas.
“Now is the right time for the corporate sector as also industry and trade to earmark some its profits for the service of providing medical treatment to the poor, who are unable to get the expensive treatment in big
hospitals.”
Appreciating the commendable work done by the Avon Cycles group under the stewardship of Sohan Lal Pahwa and Onkar Singh Pahwa during the past 30 years by setting up two hospitals - one in the city and another in the rural areas of Hambran - the minister said even at the Hambran hospital, the management had been providing quality medical services to the poor at nominal rates. He also lauded the efforts of the management for creating awareness among the rural people against the female feticide and drug addiction.
The minister exhorted the NGOs and people to launch concerted drive against social evils of female feticide and drug addiction by mobilising the opinion of the masses and saving society in general and youth in particular from these evils. He remarked that with the handing over the management of the hospital to the CMCH, the medical and healthcare facilities available in the rural belt would further improve.
Addressing the function, director of the Avon group Onkar Singh Pahwa said the hospital was set up with the missionary spirit to provide medical treatment to the poor on a nominal cost. He further said to promote the birth of girl child, the management was giving a “shagun” of Rs 500 on the birth of every girl child in the hospital along with a commitment to provide free medical treatment to the girl up to the age of 18.
CMCH director John Pramod, while speaking on the occasion, said soon a survey would be undertaken in the 47
surrounding villages to assess the medical requirements of the people and accordingly new specialised services would be added as per the needs of the people.
He further said three new departments of pediatrics, eye and ENT would be added without any delay in the hospital.
Among others who addressed the function were Sohan Lal Pahwa, the founder of the hospital, Manish Tiwari, secretary, AICC, Ravinder Arora and Dharamvir Singh, sarpanch.
