Punjab gets approval for setting up 3 District Early Intervention Centres for children

Chandigarh: Punjab's Health and Family Welfare Department recently got approval to establish three District Early Intervention Centres for children at Gurdaspur, Patiala and Ferozepur.

The DEIC (District Early Intervention Centre) is aimed at providing essential information as well as treatment services about 4Ds Defects at Birth, Diseases, Deficiencies and Developmental Delays including Disabilities (31 Diseases). It was disclosed here by Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu in a press communiqué.

Giving further details, the Minister said that presently, there are five DEICs in district Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Ropar and Tarn Taran and each DEIC has Medical Officer (MBBS), Medical Officer (Dental), Early interventionist cum special educator, Physiotherapist, Optometrist, Social worker, Psychologist, Lab technician, Staff Nurse, Dental technician with DEIC Managers. He said that now, 3 new DEICs at Gurdaspur, Patiala and Ferozepur have been approved.

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Underlining the Children diagnosed with listed 31 diseases under RBSK those were provided free treatment including surgeries at tertiary level, Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that 316 children suffering from Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) had been treated at a cost of Rs. 2.96 cr. in this year at PGIMER Chandigarh, DMC & CMC Hospital Ludhiana, & Fortis Hospital, SAS Nagar. “State government is also going to empanelled more hospitals for free treatment of RHD/CHD so that suffering children would get the treatment services as earliest at their door step,” he added.

The Minister further said that Similarly, 15 children got treatment for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases (PIDD), 247 Children for thalassemia, 5 children for Neural tube defect, 3 children for Congenital Cataract, 2 for Cognitive disorder, 2 for Vision Impairment, 3 for hearing impairment, 10 Children got treatment for SAM/Stunting. He said that treatment services of free Rs. 6.35 cr. had been provided during financial year of 2017-18.

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