The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, opened a centre of excellence (CoE) in the health sector on Thursday, with a focus on skill development in patient care.
According to Punjab technical education, employment generation, and training minister Rana Gurjeet Singh, 31 nurses are being educated as respiratory therapists in the first batch under the unique programme.
“These paramedics will be imparted training in handling ventilators and basic management of the intensive care unit (ICU),” he said.
Funded by the Union ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship, the Punjab government has collaborated with AIIMS for skill upgrade of medical and paramedical professionals.
A first-of-its-kind project was conceptualised when the country was passing through the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.
Nodal officer of the centre and head of urology department at AIIMS Dr Kanwaljit Singh said the skill upgrade will give a new dimension to the healthcare sector.
“During Covid-19 outbreak, challenges in the healthcare sector were realised. As hospitals were equipped with ventilators under the PMCare initiative, it was seen that there were not enough professionals in the country to use the ventilators. There were reports across India that the life-saving machines were left disused due to lack of people,” said Dr Singh.
The premier medical institute of Punjab has been mandated to train 260 qualified nurses in respiratory therapy within a year. There is no fee and expenses for boarding, lodging and food of candidates will be funded by the centre government.
Nurses with degrees or diplomas with two-year experience with Punjab domicile are eligible for the current programme.
Director of employment generation and training of Punjab MK Aravind said the centre of excellence that started operating this month will improve career options for the medical professionals.
“Candidates selected through written tests will undergo comprehensive training by experts for free for three months. More such specialised programmes will be introduced in a phased manner to cater to the requirement for doctors and paramedic professionals,” he added.
Sandeep Singh Kaura, adviser to the state government for skill development and technical education, said AIIMS certified paramedics will be assisted for better employment in hospitals across Punjab.
‘Govt considering regulatory authority for education sector’
The minister said the Punjab government is considering constitution of a regulatory authority for higher education. He said the standard of education can be improved only if there is a transparent mechanism to audit the quality of education.
“During a recent cabinet meeting, I had suggested formulating a regulatory mechanism in the technical education. There is a need to fix accountability when people are spending money in different courses,” he told reporters.
The minister was in Bathinda to chair a 6th inter-zonal youth festival-2021 “Maan Watna Da” at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU).
