CHANDIGARH, April 16 — Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh inaugurated the newly renovated Directorate of Health Services (ESI) headquarters on Thursday, marking the completion of a ₹21 lakh modernization project. During a high-level review following the ceremony, the Minister stated that the state is aggressively expanding its social security net to provide comprehensive healthcare to 15 lakh insured workers and their families.
Departmental data presented during the meeting indicated a substantial improvement in service delivery, including a 43 percent surge in laboratory testing and a 21 percent increase in inpatient admissions over the last year. Dr. Balbir Singh noted that the ESI network, which currently comprises six hospitals and 69 dispensaries, has successfully integrated daycare services across all units. To further modernize these facilities, the state has installed functional ultrasound machines in four major hospitals and is in the process of deploying portable X-ray units.
The Minister affirmed that the government is prioritizing tertiary care accessibility, with 140 hospitals now offering cashless treatment to beneficiaries. This network includes 139 private partners alongside premier state institutions such as the government medical colleges in Patiala and Amritsar. Additionally, plans are underway for major infrastructure projects, including a new medical college in Malerkotla and 100-bed hospitals in Bathinda and Derabassi.
Addressing operational challenges, the Health Minister acknowledged existing vacancies for specialist doctors and nurses but declared that recruitment efforts and the formation of an “ESI Society” are moving forward to ensure double-shift operations. He also flagged off 10 new supervisory vehicles intended to enhance field monitoring. Dr. Balbir Singh asserted that providing a better working environment for staff and maintaining a 784-item essential medicine list remains central to the state’s commitment to high-quality worker welfare.
