Badals eyeing vote bank through mega health camps
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
A patient being taken for a check-up at the camp. Tribune photos
Mansa, November 3
Will the holding of mega health camps fetch votes for the SAD-BJP alliance? Political observers feel that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is hoping that the health camps may translate into votes like his Sangat Darshan programmes during the assembly elections.
The venues of both such camps, one at Badal village and another at Mansa, fall in the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
However, the utility of such camps is questionable when basic medical infrastructure is lacking in civil hospitals and primary health centres. Besides, there is a shortage of doctors and paramedical staff.
The government has not been able to find a qualified technician to operate an ultrasound machine in the local civil hospital. There is a perennial shortage of doctors due to which patients may not get the post-health camp care.
Due to lack of beds, patients bring their own cots to the Mansa Civil Hospital. There is a general feeling that the government will not need such camps if hospitals are equipped with the required facilities.
Though the Chief Minister and government officials talk of service to the people through such camps, the underlining idea is to project Harsimrat as the person behind these camps.
Speaking at the first day of the health camp here today, Badal repeatedly lauded Harsimrat for inspiring him to hold a camp in Mansa after the success of a similar camp in Badal village. The Chief Minister said he could not say no to his daughter and would do anything she says for the benefit of the people of Mansa.
Harsimrat also remained active at the camp. She kept making rounds of chambers of doctors and mingled with the public and asked their well-being. She also took officials to task for any laxity in arrangements.
Badal also touched an emotional chord with the public recalling how his granddaughter (Harsimrat's daughter) opposed the contesting of elections by her mother. He said Harsimrat took up the challenge of contesting against Capt Amarinder Singh's son.
The political observers say Badals don't want to leave anything to chance for the 2014 parliamentary elections.
Manpreet Singh Badal is likely to contest against Harsimrat from Bathinda. The Congress will also to field a strong candidate from this seat.
Political Exercise?
The venues of both such camps fall in Bathinda, which is represented by Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Political analysts feel that the underlining idea is to project Harsimrat as the person behind these camps
This became evident when the Chief Minister on Saturday repeatedly lauded Harsimrat for inspiring him to hold a camp in Mansa
Lack of medicines proves to be an irritant
Several patients had to return disappointed due to a shortage of medicines at the health camp. The unexpected high number of patients proved a headache for the organisers on the first day of the two-day camp. Randhir Singh of Gammiwala village said medicines were not available. Nihal Singh from Daler Singh Wala village levelled similar allegations. Laxman Singh of Fatehabad in Haryana, 70 km from here, was brought to the camp on a cot by his friends. But, he could not get treatment for four hours.
12 suspected cancer patients at dental chamber
Twelve suspected cancer patients were reported from dental check-up chambers. Among the patients was an 11-year-old girl. Doctors said six of the 12 were women who had no history of smoking or chewing tobacco.
17,360 patients diagnosed
A record 17,360 patients were registered at the Mansa health camp, which is twice as compared to that in Badal village in September. Deputy Commissioner Amit Dhaka said 5,500 ultrasound tests were conducted and several needy patients were provided free transport to their houses. The highest 3,334 cases were that of orthopedics.
Inspire or force docs for rural areas: CM
Tribune News Service
Mansa, November 3
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today told the Health Department officials to “lure, inspire or force” doctors to serve in rural areas. While inaugurating a two-day mega health camp here, Badal said a satellite centre of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, would be set up in Malwa and Sangrur, respectively.
The Chief Minister also announced that doctors serving in rural areas would be given a preference in MD course.
Badal also used the occasion to hit out at the Congress-led UPA government for not fixing the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat: “The Central Government is insensitive towards Punjab’s farmers, who should have been rewarded for producing a bumper crop despite drought in several areas.”
Punjab Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said the Union Government too had announced an incentive of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 a month for doctors posted in rural areas. “By holding medical camps, Punjab has launched a crusade against cancer. It is curable if detected in an early stage,” the Health Minister said.
Mittal said that there was more phobia of cancer in the state than actual figures on the ground. He claimed a fresh survey from October 1 to October 31 of six lakh households in the state had reported “a mere 2,000 cases”. He said a similar survey would be conducted in December as well.
Bathinda MP Harsmirat Kaur Badal lauded the initiative of the state government to provide quality health services to the people at their doorstep.
Next camp in Batala
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday announced that the third mega health camp (first was held in Badal village and second in Mansa) will be held in Batala. Situated in Gurdaspur district, Batala has witnessed more than 40 deaths due to gastroenteritis in the past 40 days. The fourth such camp will be held in Tarn Taran.
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