Punjab gets first rank in operationalising health and wellness centres: Minister

Punjab has again achieved the first rank in operationalising Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) in the country as per the ranking of states for 2020-21 released by the Centre, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said on Wednesday.

The minister said in a statement that Punjab has achieved the target of operationalising 1,435 HWCs given by Centre for 2020-21 (180 per cent achievement) and currently 2,820 HWCs are operational across the state.

He said that despite restrictions on the movement of people due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these centres across Punjab recorded 65.2 lakh footfalls during last year.

The rankings were released during the national event of the third anniversary of HWCs on April 14, the minister said.

Principal Secretary, Health, Hussan Lal said that apart from the OPD services at doorsteps of people, 16.8 lakh individuals were screened at the HWCs for hypertension, 11 lakh for diabetes and 19.8 lakh for oral, breast or cervical cancers.

He said that medicines were dispensed at the HWCs to about 56.3 lakh patients and diagnostic tests were performed on 24.4 lakh patients, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.

( With inputs from ANI )