Aam Aadmi Clinics providing comprehensive care for pregnant women: Punjab health minister

Chandigarh, Jan 4 (PTI) Nearly 20,000 pregnant women are visiting 'Aam Aadmi clinics' every month for comprehensive care, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh said on Sunday and claimed the state government has successfully decentralised maternal healthcare.

Within just four months of launching a specialised, protocol-driven pregnancy care model, the state has recorded a massive surge in service utilisation, with nearly 20,000 pregnant women visiting these clinics every month, he said in a statement here.

In an official statement, Singh said the programme has already provided free ultrasound services to over 10,000 women through a unique referral system.

By empanelling nearly 500 private diagnostic centres, the government has ensured that women can access scans, which usually cost between Rs 800 and Rs 2,000, entirely free of charge. This intervention alone has saved Punjab's families an estimated Rs 1 crore in out-of-pocket expenses within 120 days, he claimed in a statement.

Official data shows that less than 70 per cent of pregnant women in Punjab had received their first ante-natal check-up and fewer than 60 per cent had completed the recommended four check-ups, while the state's maternal mortality ratio stood at 90 per one lakh live births, higher than the national average.

These figures underlined the urgent need for a comprehensive, accessible pregnancy care model across the state.

Punjab witnesses nearly 4.30 lakh pregnancies every year, making early detection, regular monitoring, and timely referral critical for safeguarding the health of mothers and infants.

Over the past three years, the state government has established 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics, which have emerged as the backbone of Punjab's primary healthcare system, recording over 4.6 crore OPD visits and treating nearly 70,000 patients daily.

Leveraging this infrastructure, the government launched an expanded, protocol-driven pregnancy care model through Aam Aadmi Clinics around four months ago. Under this, all essential antenatal check-ups are now available at these clinics.

These include routine and critical tests such as HIV and syphilis screening, complete blood tests, sugar, thyroid, hepatitis, fetal heart rate, cholesterol and haemoglobin assessments.

Where ultrasounds are required, Aam Aadmi Clinic doctors issue referral slips enabling pregnant women to access free ultrasound services, Balbir Singh said.

Around 5,000 women are being identified monthly as high-risk pregnancies, allowing for continuous tracking, focused support, and timely referral to higher medical facilities for specialist care. The reform has also significantly improved the patient experience, the health minister said.

Women can now complete most pregnancy-related tests closer to their homes, avoid long travel and queues at major hospitals, receive consultations within minutes, and access ultrasound services without any financial burden.

From the first ante-natal visit to post-natal follow-up, the initiative strengthens the entire pregnancy care pathway by integrating technology, standardised clinical protocols, referral systems and community-level support, said the minister.

"Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab is building a healthcare system that ensures every mother receives quality care close to home. With 4.3 lakh pregnancies annually, the expansion of pregnancy care services at Aam Aadmi Clinics is a transformative step and sets a new benchmark for primary healthcare in India," he said. PTI CHS NSD NSD