To ensure that people affected by the diarrhoea outbreak in a few parts of the SAS Nagar district are getting quality treatment, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Monday made a surprise visit to review the arrangements at the special ward established for diarrhoea patients at Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) in Mohali.

The Minister, accompanied by Director Health Services Dr Adarshpal Kaur, Director Family Welfare Dr Ravinder Pal Kaur, and Principal AIMS Mohali Dr Bhavneet Bharti, also interacted with the patients to know their well-being, as well as, the feedback to ensure that quality treatment is being given to them.

Dr Balbir said that the Health Department has established a dedicated ward for diarrhoea patients to ensure their proper care and the Punjab Government has been providing free treatment to the people affected by diarrhoea.

He said that the Health Department has also identified some flood-affected areas, where there was a risk of diarrhoea outbreak, and Health Department’s teams have been going door-to-door to provide chlorine tablets to the affected people. “Besides distributing chlorine tablets, we are also supplying potable water through tankers at such areas,” he said.

The Minister also requested all the people to immediately inform the Civil Surgeon or any Health Official in case they find anyone with symptoms of diarrhea — fever or loose, watery and possibly more-frequent bowel movements — so that the health teams can immediately provide you chlorine tablets and send potable water tankers, besides, they can avail treatment at free of cost any civil hospital.

He also urged the people of the State to cooperate with health teams in getting testing of water done at their homes to make sure that they are getting safe drinking water.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister exhorted people to join hands to help the Punjab Government in containing water-borne and vector-borne diseases effectively.