Sangrur’s cancer hospital empanelled under Ayushman Bharat Yojana
SANGRUR The state government on Monday announced that cancer patients will be able to avail free treatment up to ₹5 lakh at the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Sangrur, which has been empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana.
Punjab health and family welfare minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, who was accompanied by state education minister Vijay Inder Singla, said, “Cancer patients were getting free treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh under the Mukh Mantri Punjab Cancer Raahat Kosh Scheme (MMPCRKS) at the the hospital. Now, they will not have to pay for treatment up to ₹5 lakh.” The hospital is a unit of the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai. Singla said patients with domicile of Punjab will benefit from the scheme.
The health minister also announced that Bhawanigarh’s Community Health Centre (CHC) will be upgraded to a 50-bed subdivisional hospital.
Both ministers inspected government health institutions in Sangrur and Bhawanigarh towns and Nadampur, Channo and Phaguwala villages.
“We found that the institutions had many shortcomings. They need more staff and need to be more hygienic. I admit that the government needs to do a lot but we are working on improving the hospitals. Doctors and other staff will be recruited soon,” the health minister added. On coronavirus scare and black marketing of masks, Sidhu said, “There is no need to panic in Punjab. Everyone does not need to wear masks. However, if any case of black marketing comes to light, action will be taken against sellers.”
Singla said a proposal of setting up a medical college in Sangrur had been drafted by the Punjab government and it will soon be sent to the Centre for approval.