16,000 mohalla clinics to come up in Punjab on lines of Delhi health model

Tribune News Service

Karam Prakash
Patiala, March 28

Extending the Delhi health model to Punjab, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr Vijay Singla today said the Aam Aadmi Party government would set up 16,000 mohalla clinics across the state. Besides, every state resident would be provided a health card for free treatment, he said.

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Singla said this while addressing a gathering at the annual function of the Government Dental College (GDC), Patiala. The minister was accompanied by Patiala MLA Ajit Pal Singh Kohli and Patiala (Rural) legislator Dr Bablir Singh.

A dental surgeon himself, Singla said that apart from improving rural healthcare, tertiary facilities such as government medical colleges also needed to be revamped.

Urging government doctors to shun private practice, he said, “You all are paid non-practising allowance (NPA) to give up private practice. Doctors should instead spend an hour extra at government hospitals to help the poor…. The government doesn’t have a magic wand to change the system. We all need to pitch in.”

The Tribune had on Sunday highlighted that senior doctors of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital were doing private practice. Attributing the private practice by doctors to the “rampant corruption” in the healthcare system, he said, “During the previous regimes, doctors had to pay to their higher-ups for postings and other works. But that practice has been stopped. Now, nobody has to pay anyone a penny.”

A Government Dental College alumnus, Dr Singla said the government would soon recruit faculty at the two government dental colleges in Patiala and Amritsar. “The quality of teaching is being compromised as there are only 10-11 faculty members against 59 posts,” he said.

After attending the function, the minister inspected the super speciality wing of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital. Dr Harjinder Singh, college Director Principal, said the minister had assured all help to make the super speciality wing fully functional at the earliest.

Docs must shun private practice

You (doctors) are paid non-practising allowance to give up private practice. Doctors should instead spend an hour extra at government hospitals to help the poor. We all need to pitch in. — Dr Vijay Singla, Health Minister

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