Fulfilling one of the biggest Poll promises Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated 75 Aam Aadmi Clinics in Punjab today on the line of Mohalla Clinic established in the national capital in 2015.
Bhagwant Mann was in Ludhiana at Guru Nanak Stadium on the auspicious occasion of Independence Day at a state-level event. Mann inaugurated the first phase of Aam Aadmi Clinics in under 6 months after taking oath as the chief minister of Punjab as committed in their poll promises.
"On this historic day, the Aam Aadmi government has dedicated these clinics to people to ensure that they have access to quality Healthcare services, without paying a single penny," said Bhagwant Mann while dedicating the clinic.
The Chief Minister further said that these clinics will be opened in every nook and corner of the state, adding, that in big villages two such clinics will be opened for the convenience of the people. He said that in the first phase 75 such Aam Aadmi clinics have been dedicated to people to mark the 75th Independence Day.
Terming it a medical revolution in Punjab the AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal in his tweet congratulated the people of Punjab on getting their first tranche of 75 Aam Aadmi Clinics on the day when India completed its 75 years of Independence.
Informing people more about the manner the clinics will function the Chief Minister added, that every Aam Aadmi clinic will have a staff of 4-5 persons including an MBBS Doctor, lab technician, and nurse to diagnose and treat the patients.
Bhagwant Mann said that 41 packages with around 100 clinical tests will be offered to the people free of cost in these Aam Aadmi Clinics. He said that his government has fulfilled one of the major poll promises by setting up these clinics both in urban and rural areas.
The step coming in from the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab has been widely accepted and appreciated throughout Punjab. Many people have termed this to be a big relief from the loot in the medical sector of the state.
Surinder Singh of Jalandhar terming it as one of the great steps said, “The government has provided huge support to the people of Punjab by fulfilling their promises, with this initiative now in prevalence we will get a huge relief from the loot in Hospitals throughout the state.”
Rajinder Singh of Amritsar said, “We the people of Punjab needed Delhi-based infrastructure for a long. The AAP government has fulfilled its promise on Independence day, it is a huge gift to the people of the state."
Vimal Singh of Jalandhar highlighted his concern about the state medical infrastructure and said, “We have seen how the people of Punjab were looted during the COVID. The state is in huge distress owing to the costly medical expenses. With this initiative launched the people of Punjab will get big support and free-of-cost medicine.”
Speaking to the same tune as the other people, Bishan Singh of Patiala said, “It was a long withstanding demand of the Punjabis to stabilize the infrastructure of medical in the state owing to the high cost at par with neighboring states. It is the first day how things go but overall it is a noble initiative.”
The initiative received an overwhelming response from the people from different parts of the state, Maninder Singh of Hoshiarpur welcomed the step by saying, “Earlier people from the small towns faced it difficult to afford good doctors in their locality owing to the heavy expenses, but with these clinics now placed in their wards, and localities it will get easy for them to afford the medical services.
While Zora Singh of Nawanshahr termed the step appreciable as the major amenities of the people’s needs are associated with medical facilities, which will get fulfilled with the operation of Aam Aadmi Clinics but it is to be taken into account how well the government works to operate them.
The concept of the Mohalla Clinic one of the flagship initiatives of the Arvind Kejriwal government in primary healthcare came into being as an initiative from the Delhi AAP government in 2015 to ensure the medical facility reaches the poor and deprived.
The clinic has a doctor and a midwife/ nurse. The clinic also provides some diagnostic services and essential medicines free of cost. The Chief Minister later at the event reiterated his government’s commitment to prioritize Health and education sectors.
He said that the Government Civil Hospitals across the state will be spruced up in the coming days for imparting quality health services to people. Bhagwant Mann also said that around 2140 well-qualified Doctors have applied for these posts.