Chandigarh: Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh on Thursday announced that ultrasound machines had been installed and were functional in four major ESI hospitals in the state while deployment of seven handheld X-ray units was currently in the pipeline to further modernise point-of-care diagnostics.To ensure patient safety and uninterrupted care, all hospitals have been equipped with oxygen backups as per IPHS standards, supported by a robust power infrastructure, including hotlines, generator sets and new solar power installations at Jalandhar, Phagwara and Amritsar.Dr Balbir inaugurated a newly renovated headquarters of the directorate of health services (ESI) Punjab, a project completed with an investment of approximately Rs 21 lakh. Following the inauguration, the minister chaired a comprehensive review meeting to evaluate the performance and expansion of ESI services across the state.Addressing the meeting, Dr Balbir Singh emphasised the govt’s commitment to the welfare of the state’s three crore population, specifically highlighting the robust net of social security provided to 15 lakh insured persons and their 15 lakh dependents. He stated that the state’s healthcare infrastructure under the ESI had seen significant upgrades, now operating through a network of six specialised hospitals and 69 dispensaries, with daycare services successfully initiated in every dispensary across Punjab.During the review, director health services (ESI) Dr Anil Goyal shared impressive growth statistics, noting that medical outreach had surged with a 14% increase in OPD attendance and a 21% rise in IPD admissions compared with the previous year. He highlighted that the state had prioritised diagnostic accessibility, resulting in a 43% increase in laboratory tests and a 22% rise in X-ray services.The health minister also detailed the expansion of tertiary and secondary care, noting that ESI beneficiaries could now access cashless treatment at 140 hospitals, including 139 private partners and premier govt institutes like GMC Patiala, Amritsar and the Punjab Biliary Institute.He revealed future projects, including the establishment of a medical college in Malerkotla, 100-bedded hospitals in Derabassi and Bathinda, and a new polyclinic at Focal Point, Patiala. On the operational front, Dr Balbir Singh confirmed that the state was maintaining a stock of 784 essential medicines with a strict 10% quality testing protocol already in place. While acknowledging a current shortage of 86 specialist doctors and 47 staff nurses against ESIC norms, he assured that the recruitment and “ESI Society” formation are in progress to streamline maintenance and double-shift operations in dispensaries.Dr Balbir Singh also flagged off 10 vehicles hired to aid the field officers in their supervisory duties, which will eventually result in better monitoring.
