BJP slams govt over fewer primary health centres

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi had not opened any new primary health centre (PHC) in the national

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi had not opened any new primary health centre (PHC) in the national capital during its tenure.

HT Image

The party along with its think-tank Public Policy Research Centre (PPRC) on Wednesday released a report on the status of healthcare in Delhi.

In its report titled ‘Delhi: A city on ventilator- A fact finding report on Delhi’s Health’, PPRC reported that the number of state-run dispensaries had decreased from 1,389 in 2014 to 1,298 in 2017. There was a decline in the number of maternity homes run by the government from 265 in 2014 to 230 in 2017 as well, according to the report.

The report was released by Rajya Sabha member and BJP vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who is director of PPRC, BJP MPs Meenakshi Lekhi and Ramesh Bidhuri.

While the AAP claims that it has opened mohalla clinics, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said, “Mohalla clinic are not a substitute to primary health centres. It can’t match the standards of a PHC. These are more like health sub-centres in an urban set up.”

Sahasrabuddhe, who is the director of PPRC, hit out at the AAP government for opening mohalla clinic in a hurry. “This just shows that the Delhi government is only focused on the quantity and not the quality of services being offered at these clinics,” he said.

The BJP also cited report to point at the acute shortage of medical staff at Delhi government hospitals. As per the report, there is 34% shortage of doctors and specialists, 22% nursing staff and 29% para medical staff.

Lekhi said that the , “Delhi Government in its five-year tenure has been constantly pulled up by the Delhi High Court regarding its inability to meet the growing healthcare demands and its complete failure to improve medical infrastructure in government hospitals.”

With elections round the corner, the BJP said that the AAP has failed to fulfil its promise to increase the number of beds in city. Citing the report, Bidhuri said, “They have promised to increase the number of beds in government hospital. But in the past five years, the Delhi Government could add only 394 beds.”

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain did not respond to requests for comment.

ends