Health Min Dr Balbir Singh opens dialysis centres at 8 government hospitals

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Wednesday inaugurated eight dialysis centres— established with the support of Hans Foundation, Dehradun — at different government hospitals across the state.

The Health Minister inaugurated the facility at Mata Kaushalya Government Hospital in Patiala, while simultaneously launching centres in seven other cities — Amritsar, Malerkotla, Moga, Goniana, Fazilka, Faridkot and Jalandhar virtually.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Nodal Officer for Dialysis Programme Dr Rupinder Singh Gill and Hans Foundation group senior manager Seema Singh in the presence of Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh on February 27, earlier this year.

As per the MoU, the foundation would be providing trained medical officers and other staff, consumables, dialysis machines and RO plants to the department and would supervise the functioning of these centres.

The Health Minister said, in collaboration with the foundation, the government aims to provide free-of-cost dialysis facilities, and significantly improve access to renal care across the state.

By utilising the ‘Create Your Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA ID)’ compliance, any patient could access dialysis services at any centre across the state, he added.

In addition to free dialysis, all essential medications would also be provided at free of cost, he said, adding that the programme adopted a holistic approach, addressing both the medical and financial challenges faced by patients suffering from kidney diseases.

“Initially, the dialysis centres have been established in eight government facilities, benefitting thousands of needy patients. The programme plans to expand to all the government health facilities, ensuring accessible and quality healthcare for all,” said Dr Balbir Singh.

He claimed that, with the establishment of 872 Aam Aadmi Clinics, Punjab's primary healthcare facilities had received a significant boost, paving way for substantial decrease in kidney ailments in the coming years.

He attributed a majority of kidney failures to high blood pressure and diabetes, emphasising that these clinics and the free availability of drugs has been instrumental in early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.