Punjab Governor Shri Banwari Lal Purohit ji, Chief Minister Shri Bhagwant Mann ji, my colleague in the Union Cabinet Dr. Jitendra Singh ji, my colleague in Parliament Manish Tewari ji, all doctors, researchers, paramedics, other employees and my dear sisters and brothers who have come from every nook and corner of Punjab!

The country is moving towards achieving new resolutions in the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of independence. Today's program is also a reflection of the improving health services of the country. Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Center is going to benefit the people of Punjab, Haryana as well as Himachal Pradesh. Today I want to express my gratitude to this land for another reason. Punjab has been a holy land of freedom fighters, revolutionaries and patriotism. Punjab has kept this tradition buoyant even during the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. Today, I thank the people of Punjab, especially the youth of Punjab, for making the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign a success.

Friends,

A few days ago, all of us took a pledge from the Red Fort to make our country a developed India. To make India developed, it is equally important to develop its health services. When the people of India will get modern hospitals and facilities for treatment, then they will get well sooner, their energy will be channeled in the right direction and they will be more productive. Today the country has also got a modern hospital in the form of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Center. The Central Government's Tata Memorial Center has played an important role in the establishment of this modern facility. This center is saving the lives of cancer patients by providing its services in the country and abroad. The Government of India is playing a leading role in the creation of modern cancer facilities in the country. I am told that the Tata Memorial Center now has the facility to treat 1.5 lakh new patients every year. This has been a great relief for cancer patients. I remember people from far flung areas of Himachal used to come to PGI in Chandigarh for the treatment of many serious diseases, including cancer. Due to the huge crowd in the PGI, the patient as well as his family members had to face many problems. Now an AIIMS has been established in Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh and such a huge facility has been created for the treatment of cancer. Those who find Bilaspur nearer will go there and those who are nearer to Mohali will come here.

Friends,

For a long time, the country has desired such a system of healthcare in our country which takes care of the poorest of the poor. A health system that cares about the health of the poor, protects the poor from diseases and provides him with the best treatment if he gets sick. A good healthcare system doesn't just mean building four walls. Healthcare system of any country becomes strong only when it provides solutions in every way and supports it step by step. Therefore, holistic healthcare has been placed among the top priorities in the country in the last eight years. The amount of work which has been done in the health sector in India in the last 7-8 years has not been done in the last 70 years. Today, the health facilities of the country are being improved and strengthened by working together on not one, or two, but six fronts for the health of the poorest of the poor. The first front is the promotion of preventive healthcare. The second front is to open small and modern hospitals in villages. The third front is to open medical colleges and big institutions of medical research in cities. The fourth front is to increase the number of doctors and paramedical staff across the country. The fifth front is to provide affordable medicines and equipment to the patients. And the sixth front is to ameliorate the problems faced by patients by using technology. The Central Government is making record investment by spending thousands of crores today on these six fronts.

Friends,

We have always been told that prevention of disease is the best cure. With this thinking, so much emphasis is being laid on preventive healthcare in the country. Just a few days back, there was a report which stated that there has been a huge reduction in water-borne diseases due to the Jal Jeevan Mission. That is, when we work for prevention, there will be fewer diseases. Earlier governments did not work on this approach. But today our government is also making people aware by running many campaigns and creating public awareness and also protecting them from getting sick. There has been unprecedented awareness in the country regarding Yoga and Ayush. The attraction for yoga has increased in the world. The Fit India campaign is becoming popular among the youth of the country. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has helped in the prevention of many diseases. The Poshan Abhiyan and Jal Jeevan Mission are helping in controlling malnutrition. By providing LPG connection to our mothers and sisters, we have also saved them from hazards like smoke-borne diseases and cancer.

Friends,

If there are better hospitals and more facilities for testing in our villages, the sooner diseases will be detected. Our government is working rapidly across the country on this other front as well. Our government is developing more than 1.5 lakh health and wellness centers to connect the villages with modern health facilities. I am happy that about 1.25 lakh health and wellness centers have already started functioning. There are about 3,000 health and wellness centers already operating in Punjab. So far, about 22 crore people have been screened for cancer in these health and wellness centers across the country, out of which about 60 lakh screenings have been done in Punjab only. It has been possible to save all the friends from serious problems in whom cancer has been detected in the early stages.

Friends,

Once the disease is detected, there is a need for such hospitals where serious diseases can be treated properly. With this thinking, the Central Government is working on the target of setting up at least one medical college in every district of the country. Under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, 64,000 crore rupees are being spent on creating modern health facilities at the district level. At one time, there were only 7 AIIMS in the country. Today this number has also increased to 21. AIIMS is providing excellent services in Bathinda in Punjab. If I talk about cancer hospitals only, then modern arrangements for cancer treatment are being made in every corner of the country. This is such a big center in Punjab. The National Cancer Institute has also been established in Jhajjar, Haryana. If we go towards eastern India, Varanasi is now becoming a hub of cancer treatment. The second campus of National Cancer Institute in Kolkata has also started work. Just a few days back, I had the opportunity to simultaneously inaugurate seven new cancer hospitals from Dibrugarh, Assam. Our government has approved about 40 specialized cancer institutes across the country, out of which many hospitals have already started providing services.

Friends,

As much as it is important to build a hospital, it is equally important to have a sufficient number of good doctors and other paramedics. Work is also being done in this regard on mission mode in the country. There were less than 400 medical colleges in the country before 2014. That is, less than 400 medical colleges in 70 years. At the same time, more than 200 new medical colleges have been built in the country in the last eight years. The expansion of medical colleges means that the number of medical seats has increased. Opportunities have increased for medical students. And the number of health professionals taking care of the health of the country has increased. That is, many employment opportunities are also being created in the health sector. Our government has also recognized more than five lakh AYUSH doctors as allopathic doctors. This has also improved the doctor-patient ratio in India.

Friends,

All of those sitting here are from very ordinary families. We all have experience that the poor were forced to sell their house or land in the event of a disease. Therefore, our government has put equal emphasis on providing affordable medicines and treatment to the patients. Ayushman Bharat has provided free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to the poor. Under this, so far 3.5 crore patients have got their treatment done and they did not have to spend a single rupee. And this includes many cancer patients. Had there been no facility of Ayushman Bharat, the poor people would have had to spend 40,000 crore rupees from their pockets. There has been a saving of 40,000 crore rupees for families like you. Not only this, there is a network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country, including Punjab, where cancer medicines are also available at very low cost. The prices of more than 500 cancer drugs, which used to be very expensive earlier, have been reduced by almost 90 percent. That is, the medicine which used to cost 100 rupees earlier is now provided at Jan Aushadhi Kendra for Rs.10. On an average, patients are saving about 1,000 crore rupees every year. Affordable medicines are also helping in alleviating the problems of the poor and middle class at about 9,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country.

Brothers and sisters,

Modern technology has added a new dimension to the holistic healthcare campaign of the government. Modern technology is also being incorporated on such a large scale for the first time in the health sector. Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission is ensuring that every patient gets quality healthcare facilities on time and with minimum hassle. Due to the telemedicine and teleconsultation facilities, today even a person living in a remote village is able to get initial consultation from the doctors of the cities. So far, crores of people have taken advantage of the Sanjeevani app. Now Made in India 5G services are being launched in the country. This will revolutionize the remote healthcare sector. With this, the compulsion of the patients of the poor families of the villages to visit major hospitals time and again will also be reduced.

Friends,

I would like to say one thing to every cancer survivor and their family in the country. I can fully understand your pain. But there is a need to fight cancer and not to be afraid of it. Its treatment is possible. I know many such people who are living life happily today after winning the battle against cancer. The Central Government is providing whatever help you need in this fight. I would also like to make a special request to all the colleagues associated with this hospital that we have to help the patients and their families in fighting the depression caused by cancer. As a progressive society, it is also our responsibility to bring change and openness in our thinking about mental health. Only then will there be the right solution to this problem. I would also request my colleagues associated with healthcare to definitely focus on this problem also when you organize camps in villages. With ‘Sabka Prayas’ (everyone's efforts), we will strengthen the country's fight against cancer. With this belief, I feel satisfied and proud to dedicate this huge gift which will benefit the people of Punjab and Himachal. Best wishes to all of you and thank you very much!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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DS/VK/AK