Ayushman Arogya Kendra providing yeoman’s service to poor

Aam Aadmi Clinic here, renamed as Ayushman Arogya Kendra, is no doubt providing essential medical services to the local community, especially the poor and the needy. A round of the kendra by this correspondent found that the medical officer, along with the clinical assistant and pharmacist, were reporting for duty on time.

The patients came to the kendra in good numbers and almost all returned satisfied. Some were getting their general check-up done, while others were suggested medical examination. The samples too were taken at the kendra itself. The correspondent found that the kendra was providing primary health services along with medical consultations, diagnostic tests, medicines, preventive care and health education — all under one roof.

No patient went unattended or dissatisfied. As this correspondent had a word with some of the patients who visited the kendra today, they said they were indebted to the government for opening the medical facility for them.

Ramu, a daily wager, who visited the kendra today, rued that, “No government had till date thought in terms of freeing them from the clutches of private doctors who used to take thousands from them for even a slight ailment.”

“We are somehow able to make both our ends meet by our daily wages, but as and when a member falls ill, things fall apart. In the absence of any government facility, we had to go to a private doctor and sleep hungry for the night. With this facility now at our doorstep, we are able to get medicines,” said Veena, who works as a maid.

Payal SMO Harwinder Singh said that the daily footfall in the kendra was 50 to 60 patients, while on Monday it generally crosses a hundred. “Samples are collected daily and sent for testing in laboratories. The reports generally arrive in 24 to 48 hours depending upon the tests. Further, anti-rabies vaccine is available and immunisation is in the pipeline,” he added.

Nodal officer for the kendra Harbinder Singh said that dog-bite cases too were being handled free of cost now. “Further, antenatal services, including regular check-ups, monitoring of pregnancy, education on healthy behaviour, scanning, immunsation, etc. too had been rolled out from this month. Family-care services primarily focussing on family planning programmes have been added to the already existing services at the kendra,” he added.

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