Health Dept to get 400 new doctors: Minister

The government will recruit 400 doctors to expand health services in the state, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh.

Participating in a state-level campaign to find dengue larvae and raise awareness about the disease among the public here today, the minister said the government had started the process to establish medical colleges in four districts to make the state a hub of medical education.

He claimed there was significant reduction in dengue cases this time due to special initiatives taken by the state government. He said 654 dengue cases were reported in Faridkot district last year, while the number was 120 this year.

Addressing students at a government school here, he emphasised that the students were the biggest medium for raising awareness about vector-borne diseases and other illnesses. Over 50,000 students in the state would educate and inform 15 to 20 lakh people at their homes and in their neighbourhoods about dengue larvae and how to protect themselves against the disease.