CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today questioned the logic and rationale behind setting up of “Aam Aadmi Clinics” in Punjab, when it already has a nationally and internationally acknowledged robust and vibrant healthcare system.
“There are already thousands of better equipped and better staffed government run dispensaries across the state, which the AAP government wants to replace with such clinics, which have already failed in Delhi”, he said in a statement here today.
“If these Aam Aadmi clinics are specially meant to treat the Aam Aadmi Party workers for whatever diseases you may have diagnosed they are suffering from, then it is alright”, Warring taunted the AAP government, while remarking, “but the common Punjabi really does not need refurbished Suvidha Centres as their first-aid centres, when they have easy access to better facilities across the state”.
The PCC president alleged that setting up of Mohalla Clinics appeared to be the money minting scheme for the powers that be. He referred to massive expenses incurred in getting these already existing buildings painted with the ‘Aam Aadmi Party’ name.
He maintained that given the robust healthcare system that already exists in Punjab with primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities across the state, these Mohalla Clinics are not required here. “People from abroad specially come for treatment and specialized surgeries to Punjab and the AAP government is still stuck in primitive mode”, he remarked, while adding, “this was proved during COVID pandemic also as how patients from Delhi and other states came for treatment to Punjab”.
Warring said, the way the AAP government had named these clinics looks like these are the “extension counters” of the Aam Aadmi Party and not healthcare centres. “Otherwise any healthcare facility is named after the respective locality/village and here these are named after the ruling political party”, he pointed out, while asking, “are you deputing medical staff or want to rehabilitate your party workers in these clinics?”
