"Punjab govt should explain how National Health Mission funds were stopped": LoP Partap Bajwa slams AAP

Chandigarh: Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Saturday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government over the stoppage of the National Health Mission (NHM) in the state.

He alleged that CM Bhagwant Mann's "adamant stance" to replicate Delhi's "faulty health model" has damaged the state's health system. Taking to Twitter, Bajwa said, "The @AAPPunjab govt must explain how exactly funds under National Health Mission were stopped. The AAP govt blamed the central government for the stoppage of Rs 800 crore funds under NHM, whereas Union Health Minister had claimed that the Centre had not stopped the funds, rather the state govt itself had shut the health scheme by renaming the health centres as Aam Aadmi Clinics".
He added, "Due to its adamant stance to replicate Delhi's faulty health model, CM @BhagwantMann govt has caused irreparable damages to the smoothly working health model of Punjab".

The Congress leader further alleged that the state government is carrying out its routine activities on "borrowed money" and it has also failed to raise revenues by ending sand mining and eliminating corruption.

"The AAP government's obstinacy in naming health centres after its own party had cost the state, which was reeling under a shortage of funds. In many cases doctors and other health workers from subsidiary health centres (commonly known as rural dispensaries) were transferred to these common man clinics," Bajwa said in a statement.

He further accused the Punjab government of taking premature decisions due to which the debt burden on the state is increasing.
"Since the funds under NHM have been stopped, the AAP government should clarify how it will ensure the smooth functioning of health services in Punjab. The state government should state whether it will take a loan for the same purpose or raise funds from any other source," he said.