The Punjab Government has decided to waive-off the user charges for health facilities and services being provided by the Mobile Medical Units and Mini Mobile Medical Units in the state with immediate effect. This decision has been taken by Punjab Government in the interest of general public especially the under-served population living in difficult and far flung areas.This was stated here today by Ms. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare, Punjab. She said that Government is committed to provide better health care for the people of the State. With this initiative all the health facilities in Mobile Medical Units and Mini Mobile Medical Units will become free of cost.This includes OPD services, Lab tests, X-ray’s and ECG’s etc. Prior to this OPD slip fee, Lab test and other medicines etc ware chargeable on Govt. rates.
Vini Mahajan said annually that around 4 Lakh people avail the health services benefits of Mobile Medical Units in Punjab. 24 Mobile Medical Units and 9 Mini Mobile Medical Units are functioning which cover 10,000 villages of the State. Annually 1 lakh lab tests are conducted in MMU’s, over 10 Lakh X-ray’s and ECG’s are also conducted in these MMU’s and Mini MMU’s. Principal Secretary further told that the purpose of MMU is to make available health care services to poor rural population and people living in urban slums, who do not have easy access to Govt. Health Institutions at their door step. These MMU’s are also a boom for people who are unable to visit hospitals, especially old age people, children, women etc. MMU’s provide such people with various health facilities at their door steps. In each MMU one Doctor, one Nurse, one Radiographer, one Lab Technician, Helper and Driver have been posted.
Vini Mahajan told that Punjab state is already providing facility of cashless delivery in Punjab Govt. hospitals since past many years, which has resulted in a significant improvement in state IMR (Infant Mortality Rate) and MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio). Presently the IMR of the State has improved by 18 points i.e. 44 in 2005 to 26 in 2013 (as per S.R.S. data). Similarly the MMR has also improved, from 155 to 141 as per SRS data. Government also provides free of cost facilities of referral transport, treatment and medicines to the pregnant women. In the State any child of upto 1 year age and all girls upto 5 year age are given free health facilities in Govt. health institutions. She told that almost all essential medicines are also available free of cost or on very subsidized rates in all Govt. Hospitals.