94 Aam Aadmi Clinics treated over 35 lakh patients in past 2 years

Over 35 lakh patients have been treated while diagnostic tests have been conducted on over 15 lakh persons at 94 Aam Aadmi Clinics in the district during the past two years of their operations, the state government has said.

With a record footfall of patients, Ludhiana has been among the top performing districts in the state in terms of patients treated and diagnostic tests conducted on ailing persons since August 15, 2022, the official figures have revealed.

Sharing details, the Civil Surgeon, Dr Pardeep Kumar Mohindra, told The Tribune here on Monday that a clinic in Khanna had logged the maximum OPDs of 1,15,839 patients ever since its opening in the first phase on August 15, 2022. Another clinic in Dhandari Kalan stood second with 1,13,662 OPD patients, while the clinic near Chand Cinema here had secured the third position with 1,00,417 OPD patients.

He disclosed that 9 clinics had been opened in Ludhiana by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in the first phase on August 15, 2022, while another 34 clinics had been set up in the district in the second phase on January 27, 2023. Eight more clinics had been made operational here in the third phase on May 5, 2023, while another 23 facilities had been made functional here on August 14, 2023. Besides, one new clinic each had been opened here on August 14 and February 25, while 18 more health centres had opened here on February 25. With this, a total of 94 Aam Aadmi Clinics had been opened in the district during the past two years.

The Civil Surgeon said 48 clinics were operational in the MC limits in Ludhiana, 9 in satellite towns and 37 centres were working in the rural areas of the district. “A set of 80 different medicines and 40 types of clinical blood tests are being provided to the needy patients at these clinics,” Dr Mohindra informed.

Fulfilling a much-awaited pre-poll promise to provide free and quality healthcare services to the people of Punjab, the Chief Minister had on August 15, 2022, dedicated the first batch of 75 Aam Aadmi Clinics in Ludhiana. The subsequent lot of more such clinics were opened in different parts of the state later.

The Chief Minister had said the Aam Aadmi government had dedicated these clinics to people to ensure that they had access to quality healthcare services, without paying a single penny. Every clinic has a staff of four-five persons, including an MBBS doctor, pharmacist, lab technician, and assistant to diagnose and treat the patients, besides a helper and sweeper.

Mann had expressed hope that 90 per cent of the patients will get treated from these clinics only, thereby reducing the burden on the hospitals. He said only the serious patients with major ailments will be further referred to the hospitals.