Punjab Govt has only renamed health centres as mohalla clinics, alleges ex-minister Balbir Sidhu
Mohali, August 22: Former Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Monday lashed out at the AAP-led Punjab Government for "forcefully" converting health and wellness centres into mohalla clinics, where skilled staff have already been working for a long time.
Balbir Singh Sidhu alleged that the AAP-led Punjab government could not run away from its incompetence with the help of fake publicity and advertisements. He said free medical services, including medicines and tests, were already being provided to the patients at these health centres. "This step clearly shows the failure of the state government," he alleged.
He alleged that there were already 2,800 health centres in Punjab and when he was the health minister, he had recruited 2,600 community health officers for health centres to strengthen the services. The community health officers and staff working in the health centers were experienced and working diligently.
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Sidhu alleged that the Punjab Government was running away from paying the balance amount of the Ayushman Bharat-Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana due to which private hospitals had refused to treat patients for five months. On the other hand, the health centres had been converting into mohalla clinics for fake political mileage. They are trying to cheat people by giving the new title to health centres, he alleged.
The former Health Minister said the people of Punjab needed health services of tertiary level along with basic health services, which were being fulfilled by AB health insurance scheme. At present, common people were spending lakhs of rupees for treatment and needy people were becoming debtors.
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Balbir Sidhu said this pro-people health scheme was launched by the Central Government with the aim of bringing expensive health services within the reach of common people.
-PTC News
