Deployment of ambulances in flood-hit areas: Punjab Health Minister directs Civil Surgeons

Ropar: Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh in a recent meeting on Saturday issued a slew of measures including the deployment of doctors, ambulances and essential medicines to ensure the availability of proper medical and health services to the people in the flood-affected regions of Punjab.  

The meeting was held with the district administration and representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and religious and social organisations in the committee room of the Mini Secretariat. 

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The civil surgeons of all the regions have been directed to ensure the supply of essential medicines via boats to people stranded in the floods and to deploy ambulances in flood-affected regions so that patients could be easily transported. 

The civil surgeons have been directed to deploy ambulances to the flood-affected regions and not for ministers and other VIPs except the Chief Minister of Punjab. 

He said that the government in collaboration with non-government organisations would be holding medical camps in flood-affected regions, with medicines being provided to the patients for free, reports the Tribune India.

Further, he appealed to the representatives of the Indian Medical Association and other organisations to deploy medical staff, ambulances and medicines in the flood-affected areas along with providing support in other essential services.

President of the Indian Medical Association, Rupnagar, Dr Bhanu Pratap Parmar informed that they would be sending four ambulances with medical staff under the supervision of the civil surgeon to the flood-affected regions.    

Until July 18, around 19 districts and 1,432 villages have been affected by the floods, with more than 30 people losing their lives. Meanwhile, the minister said that they have recruited 550 house surgeons, out of which ten have been deployed for emergency services in the Ropar district. They would be beginning the process of recruiting around two thousand more medical and paramedical staff in the health and family welfare department after receiving approval from the Punjab government.   

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