Union minister for health and family welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Tuesday reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to strengthening Punjab’s healthcare sector, stating that the state remains a priority for the Narendra Modi-led government, which has invested more than ₹1,900 crore in key healthcare institutions and projects across Punjab.Union health minister JP Nadda honouring Dr Ishaan, a 2020-batch MBBS pass-out, with the best student award. AIIMS Bathinda president Dr Neerja Bathla (left), Vijay Nehra (in blue jacket), additional secretary, department of health and family welfare, ministry of health, and Dr Ratan Gupta (far right), executive director, AIIMS, were also present. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)Addressing the second convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, Nadda highlighted the Centre’s efforts to expand quality healthcare services, medical education and specialised treatment facilities in Punjab over the past decade.The Union minister said Punjab is the only state in the country to have been allotted two satellite centres of the prestigious Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, within a span of 10 years. These centres are being developed at Sangrur and Ferozepur to improve access to advanced healthcare services in the region.“The Union government has invested over ₹1,000 crore in AIIMS Bathinda, which was inaugurated in 2019. Besides, ₹449 crore has been allocated for the PGIMER satellite centre in Sangrur and ₹490 crore for the Ferozepur centre,” Nadda said.He emphasised that healthcare has remained one of the key focus areas of the Modi government, which has undertaken several initiatives to strengthen Punjab’s public health infrastructure.“Along with upgrading civil hospitals, the Centre has approved new medical colleges, established super-speciality blocks and expanded cancer treatment facilities in Punjab. These projects are transforming healthcare delivery and ensuring better medical services for the people,” he said.Praising AIIMS Bathinda for its rapid growth and contribution to healthcare, Nadda said the institute has emerged as a major medical hub catering not only to Punjab but also to neighbouring states. He noted that the institute currently records an average daily footfall of around 3,000 patients in the outpatient department (OPD) and 600 patients in the inpatient department (IPD).The minister pointed out that before the establishment of AIIMS Bathinda, patients from the Malwa region often had to travel long distances, including to Bikaner in Rajasthan, for specialised cancer treatment.“Today, the situation has changed dramatically. Patients from other states are now coming to Bathinda for affordable and quality healthcare services, particularly cancer treatment,” he said.Nadda also lauded the institute’s outreach programmes aimed at improving healthcare access in rural areas. He said AIIMS Bathinda organises Ayushman health camps twice every month across 59 villages, screening residents for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer.Highlighting the country’s achievements in public health, the minister said India has successfully maintained its polio-free status since 2014 and eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015. He added that trachoma is no longer a public health concern, while substantial progress has been achieved in eliminating Kala-azar, leprosy and lymphatic filariasis.Addressing the graduating students, Nadda urged them to uphold the values and reputation of AIIMS while striving for professional excellence.New medical facilities launchedDuring his visit, the Union minister inaugurated several advanced healthcare facilities aimed at significantly enhancing AIIMS Bathinda’s medical capabilities.Among the major additions were a state-of-the-art Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) facility and a second High-Energy Linear Accelerator (HELA) unit. These facilities are expected to strengthen cancer diagnosis and treatment through early detection, accurate imaging and precision-based therapy.Nadda also inaugurated a dedicated burns intensive care unit equipped with modern infrastructure to provide specialised treatment and critical care for patients suffering from severe burn injuries.In a major step towards improving child healthcare, he dedicated the child development and early intervention centre (CDEIC), the first facility of its kind in the region.