HEALTH MINISTER DR BALBIR SINGH EMPHASISES HOLISTIC CARE, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH, FOR JAIL INMATES
Punjab E News (Pawan Dhupar): Building on the monumental success of the Aam Aadmi Clinics across the state, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government is now planning a pioneering pilot project to open Aam Aadmi Clinics within Central Jails to provide comprehensive and quality healthcare, including crucial mental health support, to inmates.
Sharing details about the new initiative, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said that apart from treating physical ailments, taking care of the mental health of inmates is equally important. “We recognise that many who are behind bars are mentally disturbed, which can be a factor in them committing crimes,” he said.
Terming jails as ‘Sudhar Ghars’ or reform homes, Dr Balbir Singh affirmed that true justice lies in reforming individuals. “When an inmate leaves the jail, they should be healthy in both body and mind. This holistic reform is essential for realising Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s dream of a ‘Rangla Punjab’,” he said.
Dr Balbir Singh stated that psychologists and psychiatrists will be deputed in Aam Aadmi Clinics at jails to provide essential psychosocial counselling to the inmates.
The expansion into correctional facilities comes on the back of the outstanding performance of the 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics already functional in the state. These clinics have achieved a landmark by providing free treatment to over 4.20 crore people, with more than 2.29 crore diagnostic tests conducted free of cost since their inception on August 15, 2022.
The Health Minister said that these clinics offer 107 types of free medicines and 47 types of free diagnostic tests, including specialized tests for pregnancy, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, and Dengue, making quality healthcare accessible to all.
