Chandigarh, February 15, 2023 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said the name changing spree obsession of chief minister Bhagwant Mann was costing Punjabis dearly and that poor patients would suffer due to the unwarranted ego clash between the union government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Reacting to the union government’s decision to stop the next installment of Rs 546 crore to Punjab under the National Health Mission (NHM) for branding Health Wellness Clinics as Aam Aadmi Clinics, senior SAD leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said the entire health sector of the State would be in jeopardy in case the Rs 546 crore grant under the NHM was not released to the State.
Dr Daljit Cheema said the AAP government had already destroyed the established health infrastructure of the State by turning rural dispensaries into Aam Aadmi Clinics through a name changing spree at an exorbitant renovation cost. “Primary and community health centres were downgraded in the process and even doctors working in hospitals rendering emergency services were shifted to the Aam Aadmi Clinics to satisfy the whims of AAP”.
The SAD leader said no recruitment had been done to staff the Clinics due to which existing health services were affected. “Deviation of funds from NHM projects to establish the clinics will also have an adverse impact on NHM staff whose salaries have been jeopardized”.
Asserting that the move had also soured centre- state relations which was not good for the State, Dr Cheema said more development projects were likely to be affected because the AAP government had diverted central funds for its pet projects which were aimed at bolstering the image of the party instead of public welfare.
Asking the AAP government to correct its priorities, Dr Cheema said “the need of the hour is to improve tertiary care including providing super specialty services to the people instead of first aid centers”. He said the government should stop resorting to gimmicks and publicity stunts and take genuine steps to strengthen the health infrastructure of the State.
CLICK HERE to Subscribe to YesPunjab Telegram Channel & receive Important News Updates
