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Punjab to complete re-branding of AACs by January 15
Punjab health department is re-branding Aam Aadmi Clinics to Ayushman Arogya Kendras after a tussle with the Union government over funding and guidelines.
After almost two years of tussle with the Union government over the branding of healthcare centres in Punjab, the state health department has started the process of re-branding hundreds of Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs), on Friday.
Earlier this month, the Union government released the first instalment of ₹123 crore for the current financial year, according to senior health officials on the assurance of the Punjab government that they would re-brand AACs as ‘Ayushman Arogya Kendras.
As per the latest orders dated November 27, a copy of which is with HT, issued by Punjab Health Department, around 242 urban AACs will be re-branded. Along with this, 466 primary health centres (PHCs) and health and wellness centres (HWCs), which were also re-branded as AACs, will display Ayushman Arogya Kendras boards.
The re-branding process will be completed by January 15.
“The term ‘branding’ includes branding of the existing facility as per the defined norms i.e. wall paint, 6 logos, name board and borders on windows & doors. The ‘Ayushman Arogya Kendra’ is to be written in three languages on the name board i.e. Punjabi, English & Hindi along with the tagline -’Arogyam Paramam Dhanam’ in English,” reads the letter issued by the director health services, Punjab.
Use of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s photo at the facilities and rebranding Union government-funded health and wellness centres (HCWs) and primary health centres (PHCs) into Aam Aadmi Clinics forced the Centre to withhold National Health Mission (NHM) funds.
As per the Centre, Punjab did not adhere to the branding guidelines for Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centre, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandir, violating guidelines on the scheme for special assistance to the states for capital investment 2023-24
Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha earlier this year, minister of state for health Anupriya Patel said the department of expenditure stipulates that all states and UTs have to adhere to the guidelines on the scheme for special assistance to the states for capital Investment 2023-24.
Patel said the Punjab government failed to adhere to clause 10.3 and clause 10.10 of the MoU.
Patel said that the Punjab government violated the provisions of the MoU signed between the ministry of health and the state, by not following the branding guidelines and branding “Primary Health Centres-Health and Wellness Centre (PHC-HWCs) as Aam Aadmi Clinic (PHC-HWC) and not as Ayushman Arogya Mandir.”
After a U-turn from its earlier stand, the state has also agreed to remove the picture of CM from over 600 AACs that were originally health and wellness clinics. However, the state would continue to use pictures of the chief minister on AACs which were set up by the state of its own.
For the entire re-branding exercise, the state health department has the upper limit of the expenditure at ₹15,600.
