Irked over the alleged conversion of Ayushman Bharat well being and wellness centres into Aam Aadmi clinics (popularly known as mohalla clinics), the Centre just lately threatened the Punjab authorities that central funding for the National Health Mission can be slashed for the state.

In a strongly worded letter, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare mentioned it can minimize off funding of practically Rs 676.11 crore for enhancing well being infrastructure “if the state continued to convert centrally funded Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centres into Aam Aadmi clinics”.

So, what are Aam Aadmi clinics and what clauses has the Punjab authorities allegedly violated? Read on.

Aam Aadmi or mohalla clinics, which had been launched in 2015 in New Delhi, are group well being centres that present a free fundamental package deal of needed medical providers, together with pharmaceuticals, diagnostic checks, consultations and so on.

These clinics have a physician, a technician for downloading sufferers’ Aadhaar card info, and a lab assistant for taking blood checks and giving out medicines.

The Ayushman Bharat well being and wellness centres is formulated with 60:40 contribution ratio by the Centre and state, respectively. Based on the MoU signed between the Centre and states, the state governments should observe sure pointers, together with these associated to branding, formulated by the Centre whereas working these clinics. 

Official sources within the ministry informed The Hindu that they conduct common surveillance by checking geo-tagged footage of Ayushman Bharat well being and wellness centres, to ensure that the facades of the buildings are kind of standardised throughout states. 

The official informed the newspaper that it was noticed that the facades of well being and wellness centres had been turned on their head, and had been “rebranded as Aam Aadmi clinics with prominent pictures of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann plastered all over them.”

The ministry in its reference handbook for designing the well being and wellness centres states that the state can have footage, painted following the native artwork varieties, on the facade of the constructing.

An official, nonetheless, informed The Quint that none of that was being adopted in Punjab’s case, including that “whereas states akin to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal are also not compliant when it comes to facade designs, they have not politicised the design as Punjab has done”. 

The ministry has, subsequently, set a deadline of 28 February for the Punjab authorities to revive the facade branding of all well being and wellness centres in rural in addition to city areas.

According to the ministry, there are 2,488 sub well being centres and 379 main well being centres in Punjab. Additionally, there are 162 city main well being centres within the state which are eligible for upgradation and common funding below the National Health Mission scheme.

In monetary 12 months 2022-23, Punjab had been given an approval of Rs 1,114.57 crore below the National Health Mission. An quantity of Rs 438.46 crore had already been launched as far as the Centre’s share. Up to Rs 676.11 crore was but to be launched. 

Further, the state has been supplied with an approval of Rs 401.12 crore below the fifteenth Finance Commission and Rs 145.62 crore below the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission for the monetary 12 months 2022-23. 

Punjab’s Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh has dismissed the allegations, calling them ‘misguided’.

“The Aam Aadmi clinics are, in fact, proving instrumental in providing quality healthcare in far-flung and remote areas. The facilities being provided at these centres are top-notch. Earlier, these were primary health centres – and they were in a bad condition with no doctors being available, and lack of medicines,” he informed The Quint.

He additionally dismissed allegations of misuse of funds. “Talking of funds, the Centre was supposed to give us Rs 668 crore as per the 60:40 contribution ratio mentioned in the MoU. But they have given us only Rs 438 crore. On the contrary, the Punjab government was supposed to spend Rs 445 crore, but we spent Rs 618 crore,” he mentioned.

“The Centre talks about cooperative federalism, but where is the cooperation here? In cooperation, there is dialogue, not threats, ” he added.

“The 60:40 ratio is only on paper. The land on which these health and wellness centres have come up anyway belongs to the state government. The Centre’s contribution is only around 25 percent maybe,” he claimed.

He added that well being is a state topic – and that the Centre mustn’t intrude in that. 

While mohalla clinics had been initially made in present sewa kendra buildings, the 400 mohalla clinics launched final month had been opened within the already present and working main well being centres and well being sub centres throughout the state.

“The fact is that already existing government clinics, including some of which are totally dilapidated, have been given a cosmetic makeover at an inflated rates. Can a little bit of wall paint, false ceiling, and floor tiling provide better health facilities?” Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia had questioned.

Last month, in the run-up to the opening of these clinics, state health secretary Ajoy Sharma was virtually transferred on the eve of the launch event. Sources had said he had reportedly refused to use Rs 30 crore from funds of the health department for advertisements of these mohalla clinics in states other than Punjab. The Mann government received a lot of flak over the move. 

Moreover, doctors working under the department of rural development have alleged that they have been asked to shut down their clinics in the villages – and shift to mohalla clinics.