CHANDIGARH: Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu today said that about 7000 health employees of Punjab who were given extension till September 2020 would be relieved at the end of September. Punjab has also decided to recruit about 7500 new health employees before September to replace the retiring staff.
In an exclusive interview with members of Punjab Digital Media Association here at his residence, Sidhu said that proposal to recruit new health staff has been submitted to the Chief Minister and likely to be cleared today at the cabinet meeting. He said that recruitment process would be completed before September, 2020. There are about 7500 vacancies of Nurses and other para-medical staff.
Sidhu said that state health employees including doctors, nurses and some other category workers who were on extension or superannuating in May 2020 were allowed to continue till September. "No further extension will be given to them", he added.
Sidhu also stated that Punjab Health Department was fully geared up to meet the Covid-19 situation. He expected Covid-19 cases would rise in Punjab with the onset of monsoon season. He said that there was no need to panic and appealed to people to use all precautions to evade infection.
Replying to a question, Sidhu said that Prime Minister had recognised the hard work done by Punjab on Covid-19 front as he has appealed to other states to follow Punjab. He said that all its credit goes to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh who is leading the war against Corona virus.
He said that death rate in Punjab very low which is around 1.4 percent against 3.4 percent national average.
Sidhu also said that during lock down 1.50 lakh new registrations were made in de-addiction centers and now the number of addicts getting treatment for drugs has touched 5.50 lakhs against 4 lakhs in March. He said that it was positive sign that more and more people are coming forward to shun drugs. He said that availability of drugs in the state was negligible due to strict measures taken by Chief Minister.