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Punjab govt mulls handing over at least four civil hospitals to pvt players
Patients will continue to receive free treatment… the proposal is still at the discussion stage. Nothing has been finalised yet, said health minister Dr Balbir Singh
The Punjab health department is considering a proposal to hand over several government-run civil hospitals to private entities under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, sparking concerns and opposition from healthcare workers and unions.
According to officials familiar with the matter in the health department, discussions are underway to partner with private companies for the management and operation of government civil hospitals.
Hospitals in Rajpura, Moga, Moonak and Ferozepur have already been visited by officials from the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) and representatives from private firms to assess the feasibility of the project, officials privy to the development said.
A senior medical officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the assessment teams have been gathering information about staff strength, patient load and infrastructure needs to prepare for potential future collaboration. “It was the first such visit as part of the process to move forward with the proposal,” the official added.
Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh responded to concerns about the initiative, assuring that patients will receive free treatment at these hospitals, with the state government continuing to fund and manage healthcare services. “The proposal is still in the discussion stage. Nothing has been finalised yet,” he clarified.
The proposal has already invited opposition among various health worker unions across the state. Protests are being held in Moga and Ferozepur, with the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) and the Multipurpose Health Workers’ Union voicing strong objections to the potential privatisation of state-run healthcare facilities.
Narinder Sharma, vice-president of the Multipurpose Health Workers’ Union in Ferozepur, condemned the move, stating: “We strongly oppose the government’s decision to hand over five civil hospitals in the state to private players. If this decision is not rolled back, we warn the government of more protests in the future.”
Sharma also pointed to the government’s prior efforts to privatise certain health services under the PPP model, including radiology and laboratory diagnostic services at major healthcare facilities, like district and sub-divisional hospitals.
Dr Akhil Sarin, state president of the PCMSA, voiced disapproval of the government’s move, arguing that privatisation could have detrimental effects on the poor and underserved populations. “Our association has consistently maintained that the generalised privatisation of public healthcare can lead to increased treatment costs, thereby raising the out-of-pocket expenditure for the poor. The focus should be on strengthening our existing public healthcare system by enhancing funding, improving infrastructure, and addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals.” he said.
The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) also joined the opposition, accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of betraying its promise of a “health revolution” in Punjab.
Dr Arun Mitra, president of the IDPD, expressed concern that upcoming medical colleges in Sangrur and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar would now be established under the PPP model through the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB). The association also raised alarms about the operation and management (O&M) model being used for various other healthcare facilities in the state.
He pointed to the visits of the evaluation teams to hospitals in Rajpura, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Moonak and Moga as evidence that the privatisation agenda was already in motion. “If this isn’t the first step toward privatisation, then what else can it be called?” he asked.
