Gurdaspur, 20 June 2025 : Punjab’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh today visited the Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Center in Gurdaspur. During the visit, he inquired about the health of patients undergoing treatment and motivated them to lead a healthy and prosperous life by quitting drug addiction. He emphasized that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government is running a campaign titled “War Against Drugs” to make the state drug-free, and with public support, the government will succeed in this mission.
As part of his Gurdaspur visit, Dr. Balbir Singh also led a Dengue Awareness Campaign under the initiative “Every Friday Dengue Day” in Kotli Nangal and Geeta Bhawan areas of Gurdaspur city. Teams from the Health Department conducted larva inspections at households and destroyed larvae on the spot. The Minister also educated the public about dengue prevention.
Following this, the Health Minister chaired a review meeting at the District Administrative Complex with MLAs, chairpersons, public representatives, and officials regarding the Rangla Punjab Development Scheme, dengue and chikungunya prevention, and the anti-drug campaign. He stated that many individuals are now determined to give up drugs, and the Health Department will provide free treatment to help them quit. He also directed officials to increase the number of beds in de-addiction centers to accommodate more patients. If needed, the facility can be expanded in private hospitals or unused government buildings.
Dr. Balbir Singh highlighted that in addition to medical treatment, patients are being engaged in yoga, sports, and employment-oriented training programs. Trained counselors are also providing guidance to them.
Regarding the Rangla Punjab Development Scheme, the Minister stated that ₹35 crore will be spent on developmental works in the district, with ₹5 crore allocated per constituency to improve basic infrastructure and generate employment opportunities at the local level.
On dengue and chikungunya prevention, he said that there has been a noticeable decline in cases compared to the last two years. ASHA workers and nursing students have been trained to conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns about mosquito larvae and mosquito-borne diseases. He instructed health officials to enhance the participation of ASHA workers and nursing students and to honor them for their dedicated service. All departmental staff will be trained to identify larvae and eliminate their sources.
He also instructed officials from the Water Supply Department to regularly test drinking water samples in all towns and villages. Where RO plants are installed, proper maintenance must be ensured to confirm that they are functioning effectively. He reiterated the state government’s commitment to providing clean and safe drinking water and said no negligence in this matter would be tolerated.
During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh briefed the Minister on the de-addiction infrastructure in the district. Currently, there are two government de-addiction centers, one rehabilitation center, one semi-government de-addiction center, and three private de-addiction centers in the district with a combined capacity of 120 beds. The number of beds will be increased per the Minister’s directive. Additionally, there are 34 government OOAT centers and three private OOAT centers operating in the district. Along with treatment, patients receive counseling and skill-based training. The DC also informed about the Mission Umeed program, which aims to connect youth with employment. He assured that the district administration is fully committed to eliminating drugs as per Punjab government directives, and Gurdaspur will play a leading role in making the state drug-free.
Present on the occasion were Dera Baba Nanak MLA S. Gurdip Singh Randhawa, Punjab Health Systems Corporation Chairman Shri Raman Bahil, District Planning Committee Chairman S. Jagrup Singh Sekhwan, Fatehgarh Churian in-charge S. Balbir Singh Pannu, Shamsher Singh Dinanagar, Gurdaspur Urban Improvement Trust Chairman Shri Rajiv Sharma, SSP Batala Soheil Qasim Mir, SSP Gurdaspur Shri Aditya, ADC (General) Dr. Harjinder Singh Bedi, SDM Dinanagar S. Jaspinder Singh, SP Jugraj Singh, SDM Gurdaspur S. Manjeet Singh Rajla, SDM Batala Shri Vikramjeet Singh, SDM Dera Baba Nanak S. Gurminder Singh, Assistant Commissioner Shri Rupinderpal Singh, Shri Kuldeep Raj, officials from various departments, and from the Health Department — Civil Surgeon Dr. Jaswinder Singh, Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr. Lalit Mohan, District Family Welfare Officer Dr. Tejinder Kaur, District Epidemiologist Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, Dr. Mamta, Dr. Ankur, Ms. Rupinder Kaur, the District Mass Media Wing team, IDSP team, nursing students, ASHA workers, and anti-larva wing staff.
Summary: Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh inspected a Gurdaspur de-addiction centre under the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” mission, emphasized accountability, and promised capacity expansion, vocational support, and public cooperation