An Aam Aadmi Party legislator in Punjab on Tuesday put his own party's government in the dock over the absence of measures taken to address the lack of health infrastructure in Moga district and his Dharamkot constituency in particular.
Alleging "step-motherly treatment" by the state government against his own constituency, AAP MLA Devinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhose said that not even one health-related project has been given to the Dharamkot constituency by his government.
"Why this discrimination against Moga. Is Moga not part of Punjab? I feel like we are living in Pakistan," said Dhose.
The MLA's outburst came after a reply by Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh stating that there was no proposal under consideration by the government to upgrade the Dharamkot PHC (primary health centre) to a sub-divisional hospital.
The PHC, the minister said, is under the community health centre Kot Ise Khan, located eight km away. “There is also no no proposal to open a trauma centre in Dharamkot. There are already five trauma centres functioning in the state of Punjab …in Jalandhar, Pathankot, Khanna, Ferozepur and Fazilka,” the minister said.
Responding to the minister's reply during the ongoing Budget Session of the state Assembly, the MLA said that the state government has meted out "step-motherly treatment" to Moga district.
"We are also the residents of Punjab, and our district is Moga. Not even one health-related project has been given to the Dharamkot constituency by our government. In Kot Ise Khan CHC, only two out of eight posts of MBBS doctors have been filled yet. Step-motherly treatment has been meted out to Moga. Earlier, 300 specialist doctors were recruited, and of them, only four doctors were given to Moga. Now, out of 255 MBBS doctors, only four have been given to Moga. Malerkotla is a small district and 28 MBBS doctors have been posted there as compared to four doctors given to Moga," he said.
This isn't the first time that the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has been put in the dock over health infrastructure in the state. Earlier, AAP MLA from Shutrana, Kulwant Singh Bazigar, also raised concerns over medical care in state saying that he had been submitting questions regarding hospitals in his constituency for last two sessions but they were not taken up in the House.
Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh also asked the Health minister when staff will be deployed and other facilities made available at a new dispensary in Sector 69 in Mohali.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Shahkot, Hardev Singh Laddi, said that while the AAP government was patting itself on the back over the Governor's address praising the improved health infra in the state, the reality on the ground was one of stark contrast.
"Health facilities can only be offered if hospitals have doctors working there. In my constituency, Shahkot government hospital, Mehlan civil hospital and Mehlan PIC have no doctors on emergency. There is only an SMO or one another doctor is present there till 2 or 3 pm and thereafter there is no doctor available. I request that the vacancies in these hospitals be filled so that the poor can get treatment there,” he said.
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