Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday launched the State Government’s programme of ‘aware and
care’ by flagging off 100 Information Education Communication (IEC) mobile vans.
Badal, on the sidelines of the function, said that the basic objective of rolling out these vans was to apprise people about the diseases like cancer, hepatitis-C, cervical cancer and the preventive measures to be taken to cure the patients suffering from these diseases in the early stages.
The programme would also aim at creating awareness amongst the people about the diseases like dengue, chikanguniya, malaria with the focus on sensitizing them about personal hygiene and cleanliness of environs around them, he said.
The Chief Minister said that he hopes that this unique programme would provide the quality healthcare and diagnostic services to the people at their doorsteps.
He said that the state government would soon launch a scheme to provide free medicines to the people through special chemist shops
being setup in the villages across the State.
“These vans are equipped with audio-video gadgets to inform the people about various healthcare programmes. A team of doctors would accompany the vans to diagnose the people and provide free medicines to them,” he said.
Badal said that these vans would revolutionize the health sector by offering free and quality mobile healthcare services to the people especially in the far flung areas of rural sector by offering a direct access to the best health and diagnostic facilities. He said that these vans would act as a catalyst for making Punjab a healthy and vigorous state.
Divulging details of the health awareness campaign, the state Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Vini Mahajan said that these vans would cover the entire villages of the state within a period of month starting from November 5 thereby daily covering five to seven villages per day.
During the night stay in village, street plays (nukkad naatak) would be performed to disseminate the message to stay ‘healthy and fine’ amongst the people.
She impressed upon the people to get any additional information regarding these health initiatives and IEC vans on the toll free medical helpline number 104.