PGI Sangrur

PGI Sangrur – A project close to my heart!

It all began in 2013 when the thought of opening up a specialty medical centre in Sangrur for our people sprung up in my mind. I was an MP representing Sangrur, and was faced with the harsh reality of the health scare my region was in. Southern Punjab (Malwa) was burdened with cases of Cancer and people were facing severe hardships concerning the same. The absence of reasonable and quality treatment in Punjab was forcing hundreds of cancer patients to travel to faraway places for treatment. Patients had to either choose between small private hospitals or the expensive super-specialty hospitals which charged a bomb.

Cancer incidence in the state was higher than the national average of 80 per 100,000. Punjab had a higher incidence of cancer than the rest of the country. A survey conducted by an independent agency screened about 265,000 people in the Malwa, Doaba, and Majha region and found out that about 24,000 of them were suffering from cancer. Malwa, already infamed as the cancer belt, had the highest number of cancer patients—107 in 100,000 population. Hospitals were not in a position to handle such health scares. Taking suo-moto cognizance of the same, I sprung up into action. The Problem had to be checked. We didn’t have any super-specialty hospitals in the region which could take treat large no of patients at an affordable rate. So we needed one to be established here. Thus, began the story of the establishment of PGI Sangrur.

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Centre, Sangrur was established as a Satellite centre of the main branch of the PGIMER based in Chandigarh. It came as a boon to the people of this region and was established with a plan to have a massive Infrastructure set in place to serve a plethora of patients. The Satellite Centre of PGI at Sangrur was built with a commitment to providing affordable and quality health care services to the people of the region. It is important to mention the name of former PM DR Manmohan Singh here who paved the way for the establishment of the Hospital. His concern for Punjab and its welfare was the primary reason for the establishment of this Hospital. It is through his efforts and assistance we got the hospital in Sangrur.

Establishing this Hospital, was among the many steps to tackle the severe shortage of quality healthcare options in and around Sangrur, and was brought to this place with much struggle and persistence. In its 5+ years of existence, it has established itself as the best healthcare service provider and is seen as an attractive option for patients in terms of costs, which is far below the cost of comparable services at other private hospitals. The foundation stone for the satellite centre at Sangrur was laid back in 2013 by the Punjab government, with a total allocation of 25-acre land for the institute.

Inaugurated in 2016, The Centre’s key Medical and Surgical departments of Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Anaesthesia, Radiology, Radiotherapy, Ophthalmology, ENT, Dental, Community/Family Medicine and Psychiatry have been tending to the needs of the local communities very well. Laboratory services that are in operation include, Biochemistry, Haematology, and Microbiology related services, and diagnostic services include X-ray and ECG. The project has reduced the average distance people have to travel for their health care and treatment. The satellite centre is also catering to region-specific diseases and is also considerably reducing the patient load on the main PGI Centre. The centre is also helping offload patients' burden on PGI Chandigarh and is benefitting in screening OPD patients, triaging the patients, and managing them optimally.

The PGIMER satellite centre overall has six blocks. Four of these are residential buildings, one is an OPD block while and one is the main hospital building. The Centre which began with a 300 Bedded Teaching Hospital, has now turned out to be one of the preferred destinations for Medical Care in the nearby area. There is also a provision for 24-hour emergency services along with out-patient and in-patient services which stands out as a special feature. Over the last 5 years, the Hospital has been successful in treating thousands of Patients from across Punjab. Sangrur is the first satellite centre of PGI that has come up with a screening OPD already functional.

Hospital has a dedicated set of Doctors, Nurses, and Technologists serving patients in the best ways possible. The Hospital provides the latest available standards of medical and surgical care and is mandated to provide high-quality health care to its patients. It has the most sensitive and state-of-the-art testing/surgical machines too. The Hospital has brought new jobs, employment, and business much to the delight of the locals and has put Sangrur on the Punjab road map once again. It is one of those projects, which will always be close to my heart, and I have been constantly working towards its overall development, contributing in all ways possible for its further growth. As part of my Social Mission, It will be my constant endeavor to ensure affordable healthcare to every citizen of Punjab and Sangrur. PGI, Sangrur will continue to cater to the needs of the ailing humanity covering not only Sangrur but all other parts of the State.