The North News
Chandigarh, September 8
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh has warned that the state’s healthcare system has been left crippled by the recent floods, which he said caused an estimated ₹780 crore in damages. Speaking at Punjab Bhawan on Monday, Dr Balbir Singh said medicines worth ₹130 crore had been destroyed, while 1,280 dispensaries, 101 community health centres and 31 out of 41 sub-divisional hospitals were severely damaged.
He said that despite the devastation, medical teams had continued working in the flood-hit areas, using ambulances, boats and even helicopters to reach patients.The minister said he had written to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, seeking urgent financial support, and appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is due to visit Punjab on Tuesday.
“The backbone of Punjab’s rural and urban healthcare has been broken,” Dr Balbir Singh said. “We welcome the Prime Minister’s visit, but we need more than solidarity. We need at least ₹20,000 crore in central assistance to rebuild vital infrastructure.” He also urged the Centre to release ₹60,000 crore in pending funds, which he said were essential for the state’s wider economic recovery.
The state health minister criticised Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for what he called a “myopic vision” in assessing the disaster, and called on the Prime Minister to adopt a broader and more compassionate approach. The Aam Aadmi Party-led state government, he added, would continue to press for support while standing with the people during the crisis. He also thanked NGOs and volunteers for their relief efforts.
