E-Paper
Free and quality healthcare in Himachal if AAP voted to power: Manish Sisodia
Addressing a townhall meeting in Una district, AAP leader and Delhi’s deputy chief minister said his party will set up ‘mohalla clinics’ in Himachal Pradesh
With eye on assembly elections in November this year, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday promised to provide free and quality healthcare in Himachal Pradesh, if voted to power.
Addressing a townhall meeting in Una district, AAP leader and Delhi’s deputy chief minister said his party will set up ‘mohalla clinics’ in Himachal Pradesh.
“If voted to power, the AAP government will set up clinics like ‘mohalla’ clinics in Delhi and Punjab at village and ward levels and improve the infrastructure of government hospitals to provide quality health care to the people of the state,” Sisodia said.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann was also present on the occasion. It was Sisodia and Mann’s second visit to the state in less than 10 days.
He also announced a cash reward for good samaritans.
To promote good samaritan behavior, the person who takes accident victim to hospital is given ₹2,000 cash reward.
Also Read:All lawmakers with Kejriwal, attempts to topple govt have failed: AAP
“The AAP government will also implement the Delhi scheme of free treatment for accident victims,” he said adding that if this can happen in Delhi and Punjab, it can also be done in Himachal.
Sisodia also announced ₹1crore compensation to the family of defence, paramilitary and state police personnel who die while in service.
The Delhi deputy CM said he has learnt that in remote areas, people have to carry patients and pregnant women in cots and palanquins to take them to the hospital.
He also highlighted the fact that Himachal only spends 5% of its budget on health in comparison to Delhi’s 15-18%.
Sisodia said Arvind Kejriwal-led government has ushered in a revolution in the health sector and there are mohalla clinics every 1-2km.
“MBBS doctors are deployed in these clinics and besides medicine, 200 types of tests are done free of cost,” he said.
India is ranked 155th in the list of 168 nations in healthcare services and countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are doing better than us,” he said.
Sisodia said more hospitals need to be built in order to better the rankings and only AAP can do it.
The deputy CM also shed light on the recent CBI raid on his residence and office.
Sisodia said it seems the AAP’s growing support in Himachal has baffled the BJP.
“Day after I visited Himachal on August 17, an FIR was lodged against me. I am not afraid of CBI or ED as we have not done corruption of a single penny,” said Sisodia adding that CBI found nothing from his house except books and pencils.
“When they couldn’t scare me with CBI, they sent a message that I should join BJP and even offered CM’s post. Put me in jail or I will die, but I will not betray people of this country,” he said adding that these raids should be conducted on those who failed to make hospitals and schools in the last 75 years.
