E-Paper
Aam Aadmi Clinics: Punjab govt to rationalise staff at rural health centres
The decision is seen as an end to the health services being given in rural areas which are already short of medical staff
: In order to post staff at the upcoming 400 Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) in the state, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has decided to rationalise staff at the nearby subsidiary health centres (SHCs) and dispensaries run by panchayati raj and rural development department.
However, the move has irked the rural medical staff, who say that the decision is the beginning of the end of the health services being given in the rural areas.
According to a letter dated January 12 by financial commissioner, rural development to deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners (ADCs) (development) and the zila parishad chairman, rationalisation of human resources will be done to strengthen the existing Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and urban dispensaries (UDs) as health clinics/Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs).
“The Punjab government has decided to strengthen the existing PHCs of the state being run by the department of health and family welfare, on the same pattern as the Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs),” the letter reads.
There are 598 primary health centres/urban dispensaries in the state, but only 475 can be strengthened as per the gap analysis conducted by the health department, the letter states.
On January 27, the government is going to set-up 400 new AACs in Punjab, bringing the total number of functional clinics to 500. The state government had on August 15 last year launched 100 clinics.
The letter further states that in the meeting held under the chairmanship of chief minister on December 22, it has been decided in-principle to rationalise the human resources available in the co-located facilities of both the department of health and family welfare and department of rural development and panchayat to run these facilities.
The facilities would be strengthened by standardisation in terms of infrastructure, human resource, drugs and diagnostics and IT systems. The staff to be rationalised includes medical officer, staff nurses, pharmacist, lab technician and class IV employees.
The letter also indirectly points towards the government’s inability to attract staff for the centres.
The government has already delegated powers relating to strengthening of infrastructure of the facilities at the level of district health societies headed by deputy commissioner-cum-chairman.
The letter directs that the process be carried out in coordination with the civil surgeons of the district for posting power from the nearest SHCs to the PHCs.
Move irks rural medical staff
Meanwhile, the move of rationalising staff from the nearby health facilities to the PHCs before being converting them into AACs has irked few doctors posted in the rural department.
“This is the start of finishing of rural health services and the SHCs. Rural areas are already devoid of staff and health facilities and now in the name of making AACs, the government is hell bent to end the health services being given in the rural areas,” said Dr Aslum Parvez, president of Punjab Rural Medical Services Association.
He said that the rural areas are already short of doctors as most of the doctors manage to get postings in urban or semi-urban areas.
