NEW DELHI: In a landmark decision aimed at deepening healthcare access for every citizen, the Bhagwant Singh Mann–led Punjab Government has expanded its flagship ‘Aam Aadmi Clinics’ (AACs) initiative to include all 10 central jails of the state.
This move extends Punjab’s “health revolution” beyond city streets and rural lanes — right into the state’s correctional facilities — ensuring free and dignified healthcare even for prisoners.
Since their inception, Aam Aadmi Clinics have treated over 4.20 crore patients across Punjab, providing free healthcare to more than 73,000 people every day. The addition of prison-based AACs marks the latest chapter in what the government calls a “Sevak Model” — governance rooted in compassion and equality.
Inside prisons, the new clinics will offer 107 free medicines and 47 diagnostic tests, aimed at preventing and managing health challenges such as Hepatitis C, HIV, and Tuberculosis, which are more prevalent in overcrowded jail conditions. Although medical officers are already posted in Punjab’s jails 24×7, these new clinics will significantly strengthen existing facilities and introduce systematic healthcare services for inmates.
The Health Department has begun identifying dedicated spaces within prison premises to operationalize these clinics. The initiative is expected to drastically improve the quality of life and medical outcomes for inmates while reducing the risk of communicable diseases spreading beyond prison walls.
At present, Punjab operates 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics, with tenders already issued for 236 more, bringing the total to 1,117 clinics statewide. The growing popularity and trust in these clinics reflect a dramatic transformation in the state’s healthcare system. For lakhs of poor and rural families, what once meant long queues and costly hospital visits has now become accessible, local, and free medical care.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has emphasized that “healthcare is a right, not a privilege.” By bringing medical care to those who often go unseen — prisoners — the government is reaffirming its belief that human dignity and health access must extend to every individual.
This expansion not only enhances prison healthcare but also symbolizes a broader shift toward humane and inclusive governance. It ensures that even the most marginalized sections of society benefit from Punjab’s growing welfare ecosystem.
Under CM Mann’s leadership, Punjab continues to emerge as a national model for public health reform — where accessibility, compassion, and efficiency go hand in hand to build a healthier, more equitable society.
