Round the clock health services have been started at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Lalru, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh announced during the ongoing session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in response to a question raised by Dera Bassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa.Randhawa said that despite having basic facilities at the 30-year-old CHC Lalru, health services at the hospital used to cease after 3 pm due to a shortage of doctors. As a result, residents of more than 50 villages, 17 wards of Lalru and Handesra, and nearby towns had to travel to Dera Bassi, Ambala and Chandigarh for emergency treatment.Responding, Dr Balbir Singh said that 24×7 health services have now been started at CHC Lalru, and the sanctioned strength of medical officers has been increased from two to four to ensure round-the-clock healthcare for patients. He added that the recruitment process for specialist doctors in the Medicine and Gynaecology departments is also under way, after which additional specialised services, including Caesarean deliveries, will be available.The Health Minister also said that the government is setting up a 24-hour health centre in every Assembly constituency across the state. Under this initiative, 117 such centres will be established, of which 10 have already become functional.He further said that to strengthen healthcare services, appointment letters will be issued to more than 700 nurses over the next two weeks, while Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have already been established in 20 of Punjab’s 23 districts.