Chandigarh, March 20 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Friday that his government has launched several health sector initiatives, stating that 100 more 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' will become operational this month, with another 400 to follow.
Mann said that previous governments had neglected the health sector, but it has been a key focus area for the AAP government.
At a press conference here, the CM said that tenders for medical colleges in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur have been finalized.
"All formalities have been completed. For a medical college in Malerkotla, land has been purchased, and I will visit Malerkotla on Eid and present it to the people," he said.
The Punjab CM said that his government has launched the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana under which every family will receive cashless medical treatment up to Rs 10 lakh.
Regarding the Aam Aadmi Clinics, Mann said that 883 are currently operational, offering free tests and medicines, and that 100 more will be dedicated on March 28, and another 400 clinics are being set up.
The CM said that over five crore people have visited the Aam Aadmi Clinics, indicating people's trust in them.
Regarding the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, Mann said that 25 lakh beneficiaries have been registered under the scheme, and 1.60 lakh people have availed treatment.
To ensure the smooth functioning of the scheme, a provision of Rs 1,200 crore has been allocated for the current fiscal, while Rs 2,000 crore has been earmarked for the 'Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna' for 2026-27, he said.
"In contrast, the Centre has allocated Rs 9,300 crore for the Ayushman Bharat scheme. For over three crore people in our state, we have provided Rs 2,000 crore under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana," he said.
Mann alleged that several conditions under the Ayushman Bharat scheme limit the number of beneficiaries.
The chief minister was accompanied by state Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh.
The Punjab government scheme offers cashless treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh per family per year, with no income restrictions, in government and private hospitals across the state.
Mann said that detailed brochures regarding the Mukh Mantri Sehat scheme will soon be available at the Aam Aadmi Clinics.
He claimed that 94 per cent of patients have expressed satisfaction with the treatment at these clinics, calling it "the best model in the country".
Mann, whose government completed four years in office this week, said that 948 general doctors and 627 specialist doctors have been recruited during the past four years.
"The recruitment alone constitutes 35 per cent of the total strength of government doctors. Earlier, even medicines were not readily available in government hospitals," he said.
Mann provided details about several other initiatives undertaken by his government in the health sector. He said that 22 critical care blocks are under construction, each with a 50-bed capacity.
The CM said that the government has introduced innovative artificial intelligence-enabled screening devices for early detection of breast cancer, cervical cancer, and refractive errors.