DW BUREAU / MOHALI Punjab Health and Family Welfare and Labour Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, on Monday, inaugurated the Radiology and Laboratory Diagnostic Services in Mohali district, which will provide medical tests on 70 percent lower charges as compared to the private laboratories. These ultra-modern Radio Diagnostic and Laboratory Diagnostic Centers are being opened in various hospitals through Private-Public Partnership (PPP) mode, which were launched state wide by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh virtually. Addressing the gathering at Civil Hospital prior to inaugurating the operations of these laboratories at district level, Health Minister Sidhu said the Punjab government has initiated this project, with the total cost of around Rs. 80 crore, for the people with the objective of providing world class diagnostic services on affordable prices at round the clock, informing that the private hospitals have charging exorbitant prices for the same tests, while these state-of-the-art laboratories would provide these tests at 70 percent less charges. Through this project, the entire state has been divided into 6 parts to provide services of one MRI centre in each part and one CT scan centre in each district hospital. The Health Minister further mentioned that all the existing government laboratories of the health department have been strengthened with modern machines procured at a cost of Rs.4 crore. 100 Lab Technicians have also been recruited to ameliorate and streamline the operations of these laboratories. Talking about the efforts taken by the state government to deal with Corona pandemic, the Cabinet Minister said that the state government has so far conducted 1.25 crore tests and more than one crore people have been vaccinated, 76 PSA plants have been set up and more than 8000 oxygen concentrators were given to various hospitals. He pointed out that the patients of deprived sections were treated free of cost and 44,000 Fateh kits were distributed. Despite the pandemic, the health department provided employment to more than 11,000 unemployed people, including doctors, paramedics and ministerial staff. Among others who were present during the function, Director Health Services Dr. GB Singh, Director PHSC Dr. Manjit Singh, Director Family Welfare Dr. Andesh, Director Project Dr. R.S. Bal, ADC (D) Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal, Civil Surgeon Dr. Adarshpal Kaur and Principal Medical College Dr. Bhavneet Bharti were present. (editor@dailyworld.in)