Free medicines, tests, treatment, operations: Arvind Kejriwal promises freebies for Punjab

Medicines, operations and tests will be free, and health cards will be made for all citizens, Kejriwal said, adding that 16,000 pind and ward clinics will be opened on the lines of Delhi's mohalla clinics.

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Ludhiana: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday promised the people of Punjab a 'health guarantee' with free treatment and medicines at government hospitals if his party is voted to power in the assembly elections beginning next year.

Making six promises which he described as a health guarantee for the people, the Delhi chief minister said free and better treatment will be available at all government hospitals in the state if his party wins the polls.

Medicines, operations and tests will be free, and health cards will be made for all citizens, he said, adding that 16,000 pind and ward clinics will be opened on the lines of Delhi's mohalla clinics.

The condition of existing government hospitals will be improved and new big medical facilities will be opened, Kejriwal further said, and added that treatment of road accident victims will also be made free.

"Every person in Punjab will get free and good treatment (in govt hospitals), which will be at par with good private hospitals. It is my guarantee," he said at a news conference here.

It has been done in Delhi, Kejriwal said. The AAP leader's two-day visit to Punjab ends Thursday.

People in Punjab were forced to go to private hospitals as no proper health services were being provided in primary and community healthcare centres in the state, he alleged.

"The condition in government hospitals in Punjab is so bad that you don't get treatment, and people are forced to go to private hospitals? There is loot in private hospitals. In government hospitals in the state, people are facing problems with regards to medicines, and availability of doctors and better equipment," Kejriwal claimed.

AAP state unit chief and MP Bhagwant Mann, the party's Punjab affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh and co-incharge Raghav Chadha were also present.

Kejriwal said his government has changed the shape of government hospitals in Delhi.

"I am giving six guarantees for the health of citizens of Punjab (if AAP is voted to power in Punjab)," he said.

"We will ensure that medicines are available at every government hospital, and all machines and other equipment are available and functional? Many people from Punjab come to Delhi for better treatment facilities, which we will make available in the state itself," Kejriwal said.

Even if anyone has to undergo an operation costing up to Rs 10-15 lakh, that too will be free in government hospitals if the AAP is voted to power, he said.

Every citizen of Punjab will be given a health card, which will have all health-related information of that particular person, Kejriwal.

"We will computerise the entire system, and it will be our responsibility to give people the best treatment," he said.

Taking a dig at the ruling Congress, Kejriwal said that people had brought the party to power with high hopes.

"But today, we don't see anything worth calling a government here," he said.

"The government has been reduced to a 'tamasha'," the Delhi chief minister said, referring to the latest political developments in the state.

"A dirty fight for power is going on. Every leader of that party (Congress) wants to become chief minister. Such a bitter fight for power is going on that the government is invisible. People are not able to understand whom they should approach for their problems," he said.

In such a situation of despair and political instability, people see a ray of hope in the AAP, which is the only party thinking about their problems right now, Kejriwal said.

He said the AAP is the party that is concerned about the state's development and the people.

"We are working hard for this. After the polls, the AAP's government will be formed," he said.

He added that his party has already started planning what it will do if voted to power.

Kejriwal also reiterated the earlier promises made by his party. If voted to power, free electricity will be given to every Punjab household that consumes up to 300 units of power, he added.

Asked how the necessary funds would be generated to fulfill his promises, Kejriwal said that would not be a problem.

"Problem arises when money is looted in corruption," he said, adding that there is no dearth of money with the governments, but what is missing is the right intent.