Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said an 'Aam Aadmi clinic' will have a staff of four to five persons including an MBBS doctor and will offer around 100 clinical tests and medicines free of cost to people.
Mann said this after he visited to oversee the progress of an 'Aam Aadmi clinic' coming up at Phase 5 here. He said in the first phase, 75 such clinics will be dedicated to people on the 75th Independence Day on August 15. He said the aim was to provide the best healthcare services free of cost to the people of the state.
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The chief minister, accompanied by Cabinet minister Bram Shanker and senior officials, expressed satisfaction over the ongoing work in the clinic. He asked the officers to ensure that the work is completed within the stipulated time frame.
“Every 'Aam Aadmi clinic' will have a staff of four-five persons including an MBBS doctor, pharmacist, nurse, and others to diagnose and treat the patients. Forty-one packages with around 100 clinical tests will be offered to the people free of cost in these clinics,” Mann said. He said his government will fulfill one of the major poll promises with the setting up of these clinics both in urban and rural areas of Punjab.
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Mann asserted that 90 percent of patients will get treated at these clinics, thereby reducing the burden on hospitals. He said that these clinics will be a cornerstone in revamping the healthcare system in the state. “This revolutionary decision will rejuvenate the healthcare system in the state by imparting quality health service to the people,” he said.
Mann said 75 'Aam Aadmi clinics' are coming up on a uniform pattern with basic interior components including a doctor's room, reception-cum-waiting area, pharmacy, besides separate toilets for staff and visiting patients. He also said online appointment facilities for the patients will also be available in these clinics. These clinics will provide free medicines and diagnostic facilities to the people, he said. He said only serious patients with major ailments will be referred to hospitals.
Mann also said the process to hire services of doctors and paramedics is already in the pipeline. So far around 2,140 “well-qualified doctors” have applied for these posts, he added.
The chief minister said the government is according top priority to health and education sectors. He said the government civil hospitals across the state will be spruced up for imparting quality health services to people. Mann also said 16 new medical colleges will be set up in the state in the next five years.
