Department will work on ensuring gender ratio parity: Minister

Patiala, January 13

Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the state was witnessing a sex ratio of 926 girl child against every 1,000 boys at birth. The minister during the ‘Dheeyan di Lohri’ programme organised in Tripuri said the state government would work to bring the count of girl child on a par with that of boys. Patiala (Urban) MLA Ajit Pal Singh Kohli was also present at the programme.

The two said the state government had been working to make Punjab a leading state in health care services. The minister said the Aam Aadmi clinics in the state were already a success. “We will provide 500 more mohalla clinics in the state. Dental and specialist clinics would also be set up to provide better health services to the citizens,” he added.

Citing the example of the district, the minister said in 2022, Patiala was the best in the state in terms of sex ratio of girls. He said the district witnessed birth of 989 girls against every 1,000 boys. “But we have to work to ensure that this ratio is achieved across the state,” he said and expressed concern over the decreasing number of female children compared to male children.

Balbir said the government would strengthen the emergency and ambulance services in Punjab within an year.

Director of Health and Family Welfare Department Dr Ranjit Singh Ghotra, Director of Health Services Ravinderpal Kaur and Dr Amrit Baring were also present during the celebration.