Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department submitted Rs 669.81 crore Programme Implementation Plan proposal to the Central Government under the National Health Mission.
The State Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani on Wednesday said that a warm response was received from the Central Government for the State Government’s proposal and the formal written approval is expected soon.
Sharing details of the proposal submitted by the state, he said that many new initiatives and innovations proposed have been incorporated in the plan for 2016-17.
“This includes Rs 61 crore for strengthening the civil infrastructure including MCH Wing at Government Medical College Faridkot, 20-bedded each at SDH Dasuya (Hoshiarpur) and Malerkotla (Sangrur) and 30-bedded each at DH Moga and Sangrur and Nakodar (Jalandhar),” he said.
Besides, a proposal for free diagnostics and laboratory tests to the tune of Rs 43.2 crores including Rs 14 crore for equipment to strengthen the laboratories has been submitted by the state. State’s proposal also included Rs 70 crore for free drug initiative and national iron plus initiative and another Rs 70 crore for Maternal and Child Health Programme including free services to pregnant woman and a new initiative of free screening and treatment of thyroid disease for all the pregnant women attending the Public Health Facilities. Rs 18.35 crore have been earmarked for screening of school children, treatment of complicated diseases and counselling services to adolescents. Rs 41 crore has been earmarked for incentive to ASHAs under different programmes.
Rs 16.74 crore has been earmarked for treatment of non-communicable diseases, that is hypertension, diabetes, blindness, cardio-vascular diseases, deafness and health services to elderly, whereas Rs 16.28 crore for TB, leprosy, malaria and dengue. Another Rs 41.24 crore has been proposed for strengthening the health services in urban areas which includes outreach activities and strengthening of health infrastructure. Rs four crore has been reserved for Swachhta Abhyian and maintaining the quality in health institutions.
A token money of Rs one crore has been requisitioned for National Dialysis Service Programme. Among the other new initiatives proposed by the state the major ones included free diagnostics, universal thyroid screening of pregnant woman and reduction of anemia among women and adolescent girls, said the Minister. He said that the team from Punjab had gone to New Delhi to attend National Programme Coordination Committee meeting under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary (Health)-cum-Mission Director-NHM CK Mishra that was also attended by Joint Secretaries of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Punjab’s case was strongly presented by a team of State Health Officers led by Principal Secretary Health Vini Mahajan, Punjab NHM mission director Hussan lal, and others.
“The Centre appreciated the progress and implementation of National Health Mission in Punjab, especially as the State had been able to ensure 100 percent utilization of funds allocated during the financial year 2015-16,” he said.
Jayani added, “Because of good performance and compliance of the conditions of approvals, Punjab state would even get an additional financial incentive of 10 percent, which is approximately Rs 50 crore, as a reward, over and above the Resource Envelope approved for the year 2016-17 from Union Health Ministry.”