S A S Nagar, April 2: Punjab Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education and Research Dr Balbir Singh said here today that the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is working diligently on the commitment to provide the best healthcare infrastructure and services in the state. 
He had arrived here to launch OPD services at the Advanced Autism Care and Research Centre in Sector 79, Mohali, on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day. He said that this centre will emerge as the best and most excellent centre in the State for the treatment of children with Autism and to develop their inner multifaceted talent.
Giving the example of children with Autism, he said that everyone is aware of the fame of Elon Musk and Thomas Edison today. One is earning fame as a successful businessman in the world and the other had proved his brilliant intellect by inventing the light bulb. He said that both of them had Autism. Thomas Edison's mother hid the adverse notes sent by the school about her son's intelligence throughout her life and brought her son to the point where he emerged as a great scientist and inventor of the world.
The Health Minister said that children with autism have poor social interaction. They have a different neurology and physiology of learning. He said that the mentality of such children is understood very well by their mothers and they make them mentally strong and enable them to make their own place in the society. He said that the full functioning of this center will help in providing required treatment to such children from all over Punjab and in improving their social interaction and preparing them to face the challenges of the society. He said that the OPD service started today with speech therapy, sensory integration therapy, play therapy and clinical assessment room will be further expanded in the future and next level services and research will elevate this institution as a pioneer institution of Punjab.
He appreciated the initiative taken by Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Medical Sciences in running this center and said that the Department of Medical Education and Research will provide all possible support for its success. He said that facilities like training, hostel etc. will also be started here in the coming days.
Dr. Balbir Singh said that the delay in the functioning of this center, which was started in 2016, was due to the indifference of the previous governments, but the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will now equip it with all kinds of amenities and develop it as a big ray of hope for all children with autism in the State. He ordered on the spot that the remaining work of this institution should be completed on priority basis so that the children with Autism can get maximum benefit from this center.
Among the prominent persons present included Principal Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Medical Education and Research Kumar Rahul, Director of Medical Education and Research Dr Avnish Kumar, Director Principal of Ambedkar Institute of Medical Sciences Dr. Bhavneet Bharti.