Punjab Pioneers AI Use for Early Disease Detection
Chandigarh: The Punjab Government is set to open 236 new Aam Aadmi Clinics, taking the total number across the state to 1,117, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh announced while presiding over a high-level meeting with Civil Surgeons, according to a government press release.
Highlighting the success of the Aam Aadmi Clinics, Dr. Singh said the initiative has significantly improved public access to quality primary healthcare. Citing a recent Patient Feedback Survey, he added that 96% of patients expressed satisfaction with the clinics' services, underscoring their effectiveness.
During the meeting, the minister directed Civil Surgeons to expedite the establishment of new clinics and initiate the recruitment of doctors and essential staff to ensure their timely operationalisation.
Dr. Singh further announced that the primary healthcare network will receive a major boost through the distribution of Health Kits to ASHAs and essential equipment to Community Health Officers (CHOs), enhancing grassroots-level healthcare delivery.
Punjab Pioneers AI Use for Early Disease Detection
The minister also revealed that Punjab is pioneering the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the early detection and management of critical diseases such as breast cancer and stroke.
In a key initiative to strengthen preventive child healthcare, all 250 Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams will be equipped with AI auto-refractor devices to detect refractive errors in school children. The programme aims to provide affected children with free spectacles, safeguarding their vision and future.
According to the release, the state’s proactive and extensive preventive measures have produced extraordinary results in combating vector-borne diseases. Highlighting one such success, Dr. Balbir Singh pointed to the “exceptional success” of the ‘Har Shukarvar Dengue Te Vaar’ campaign, which has led to an 80% reduction in dengue cases compared to 2023. He instructed Civil Surgeons to intensify anti-dengue efforts in potential hotspot areas to sustain this positive trend.
Recognition for Healthcare Heroes
Commending the dedication of healthcare workers, the minister praised doctors and paramedical staff for their heroic efforts during the recent floods and announced that the government will soon unveil a new policy to annually honour and recognise hardworking personnel.
During the event, Civil Surgeon Dr. Sangeeta Jain, Dr. Arshdeep Kaur, Dr. Manahar Kaur, Dr. Vasudha, Dr. Dharamveer Ahir, and Bhawandeep Kaur were honoured for their exemplary contributions to various health programmes.
While addressing the Civil Surgeons, Dr. Singh said, “The health and well-being of our citizens is the top priority of the Punjab government. I issue a clear mandate: conduct regular, rigorous reviews of health services, ensure all our facilities are fully equipped and abundantly stocked, and most importantly—I ask our doctors to serve every single patient with a smile, compassion, and empathy.”
He added, “This commitment to both clinical excellence and human kindness is what defines our mission.”
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