lashing out at the Union Health Minister Santosh Chaudhary, Punjab Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Friday said that she should stress on providing better health services in Punjab, instead of caring about Chief Minister’s photographs on 108 ambulances.
“She should restrain from giving statement for removing the photograph of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from 108-Ambulance service, rather she should stress upon the Centre Government to provide better health services to the people of Punjab to avail such services to the maximum,” said Mittal. A war of words erupted between the Union Health Minister and Congress MP from Hoshiarpur Chaudhary and Badal on the issue of pictures on centrally-sponsored 108 ambulance service in the State.
While Chaudhary had made it clear that Badal’s pictures on 108-ambulances would have to go to get the central funds according to the NRHM guidelines, Badal, on the other hand, refused to go by Chaudhary’s demand maintaining that pasting or removal of photographs did not fall under her jurisdiction.
Regading shortage of doctors in the State, Mittal said that about 100 hospitals have been identified where there is a shortage of doctors and office staff and in all these hospitals, the staff will be in position to look after the day today work.
He added, “300 doctors have been recruited in the State and shortly their appointment letters will be issued. In addition, 500 more doctors are being recruited and by creating a separate cadre from post-graduate doctors, the expert doctors in particular field shall be sent to the hospitals in the State.”