BADAL: Punjab to promote dental tourism

Chandigarh, March 29, 2013: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called upon the dental surgeons’ fraternity to play a pro-active role in promoting Dental Tourism in the state.

Badal was addressing the galaxy of dental surgeons across the Globe during the inaugural function of three-day  ‘1^st Punjab State Dental Conference’ held here today at auditorium of the Government Medical College in sector 32. Underlining the need to provide best dental treatment at affordable prices to the dental patients for abroad, Badal said that presently updated health sector in the state could play a pivotal role in boosting ‘Dental Tourism’ in Punjab.

Lauding the initiatives of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Dental Association and Punjab Dental Council (PDC) in general and efforts of Dr. RS Maan and his team in particular for organizing this mega event for the first time in the state, Badal said that dentistry today had evolved into a very refined specialized field and became an organized profession moreover, people were also fully aware towards dental care.

Badal said that the concerted efforts of the SAD-BJP Government had improved the health care sector tremendously through its path-breaking initiatives for strengthening the health infrastructure both in terms of technological advancements as well as availing the expert doctors and other Para-medical staff for providing best health care treatment to the general public in the government hospitals of the state. In order to tap the vast potential of dentistry in the state, the Punjab government had laid special emphasis on setting up of dental colleges in the state, consequently today there were around 16 dental colleges in Punjab, added the Chief Minister. Likewise, government had also released Rs. 4.50 crore for the purchase of 90 dental chairs with highly advanced specifications and 20 digital x-rays and other machines.

Revealing the future plans, the Chief Minister said that to further upgrade the dentistry infrastructure in government hospitals, Rs. 5 crore would be spent to purchase 148 high-tech dental chairs, 90 dental X-rays machines along with other ultra-modern equipment to be installed in the Primary Health Centre’s for providing advanced dental facilities in the rural sector.

Reiterating the firm committed to combat oral Cancer that was unfortunately rapidly spreading in the Punjab, Badal said that to fight this deadly disease the state government had already banned the sale of Tobacco in the state besides taking other preventive steps. The Chief Minister further mentioned that the state government has initiated a crusade against the Cancer and Drug addiction in the state and had established Punjab State Cancer and Drug de-addiction Treatment Fund to provide an effective treatment for the patients. Apart from upgrading the infrastructure of three government colleges at Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot the state government also was providing State-of-the-Art Cancer treatment facilities in these colleges besides similar Centres at Sangrur and Bathinda district at a cost of Rs 300 crores and in addition to this Tata Memorial Hospital and Cancer Research Institute, Mumbai had also aggred to establish a Cancer diagnostic and treatment Hospital at Mullanpur in Mohali District. Besides, at a cost of Rs. 25 crore five state level Drug De-addiction centres were also being setup at Amritsar, Patiala, Faridkot, Bathinda and Jalandhar by the state government, added Mr. Badal.

In order to provide the quality Health services to the people at their door steps, the state government had organised Mega Medical camps in recent past, where on the spot free of cost dental treatment was provided to the weaker sections of the society. He also mentioned that Punjab was the only state, which was providing full dentures free of cost by organising dental fortnight every year in the month of November, whereas this one set of good denture was costing about Rs. 8000 in the private sector. The State Government had also set up a specialized Punjab Dental Implant centre, first of its kind in the civil dental services of the government sector at Mohali under Public Private Partnership scheme that was working successfully.

On the occasion Health and Family Welfare Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said that Health Department had achieved new heights under the bright leadership of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. It was only Badal’s visionary approach that Health Department had conducted two Mega Health Care Medical Camps successfully. In order to promote the dentistry in a big way the SAD-BJP government during its previous regime had appointed 148 new dentists in the government sector. Today total 320 dentists were discharging their duties efficiently in the government hospitals, said Mittal.

Earlier, In-charge of the Conference Organising Committee Dr. RS Maan welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries along with other office bearers and members of both the Punjab Civil Medical Services Dental Association and Punjab Dental Council. On behalf of the Council he also assured the Chief Minister that all the Dental Surgeons would work relentlessly to realise the dream of Badal to provide best dental care services at the doorsteps of the poor section of the society especially in the rural sector.

On the Occasion the Chief Minister also presented mementos as a token of appreciation to the Dental Surgeons of the country and abroad for their outstanding contribution in the Medical field.  He also launched the Practitioner Portal, Biometric System of Punjab Dental Council besides, releasing Smart Cards for the members of the Council and a Dental awareness book-let for the general public.

Prominent amongst those who attended the function included Local Government and Medical Education Minister Chunni Lal Bhagat, Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education and Research Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister KJS Cheema, VC Baba Farid Medical University of Health Sciences Dr. SS Gill besides, many renowned Dental Surgeons and dignitaries across the globe.