After international recognition of the Punjab government’s healthcare model of Aam Aadmi Clinics, health minister Dr Balbir Singh on Tuesday said the state will consider taking legal remedies to get the Ayushman funds released from the Centre which have been accumulated to the tune of ₹621 crore.
The Centre stopped releasing grants to the Punjab state under the Ayushman Scheme since December 2022. “We have already conveyed to the Centre that Aam Aadmi Clinics were started under a state scheme and central funds are not being used to set up the clinics anymore. Yet, the government has not released the funds,” he said in an interview with HT.
Earlier, he also addressed a press conference while appreciating the department of health for receiving first prize for its submission titled “Strengthening last mile delivery of drugs: A case study from Punjab” in the Global Health Supply Chain Summit held in Nairobi from November 14 to 16.
“Of total 85 countries that participated in the summit, at least 40 countries have evinced keen interest in visiting Punjab to see the Aam Aadmi Clinics and understand how 84 essential drugs and over 40 diagnostics are being made available closer to households and without any cost to the patients,” the health minister claimed.
The health minister said the Centre has been biased towards Punjab ever since the clinics became a success. “Apart from cut in our funds, the Centre recently shifted a centre of excellence in virology which was to come-up in Mullanpur near Chandigarh to Jammu. They have also denied us yoga institute whereas other states have been sanctioned such institutes,” alleged the health minister.
{{/usCountry}}The health minister said the Centre has been biased towards Punjab ever since the clinics became a success. “Apart from cut in our funds, the Centre recently shifted a centre of excellence in virology which was to come-up in Mullanpur near Chandigarh to Jammu. They have also denied us yoga institute whereas other states have been sanctioned such institutes,” alleged the health minister.
{{/usCountry}}“Punjab has already approached the apex court for Rural Development Funds. We are mulling to adopt legal remedies in case our health funds are not released,” said the minister.
He said 100 more Aam Aadmi Clinics are ready to be thrown open to the public, while the chief minister has also given a nod to set up 70 additional clinics in Kandi areas, including Hoshiarpur, Pathankot and Gurdaspur.