The DMK government headed by Chief Minister MK Stalin has decided to discontinue the Amma Mini Clinic scheme which was launched by the AIADMK government.
Citing lack of performance, the State Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that it was a temporary scheme that was meant for a year and it would be discontinued.
He added that the tenure of the doctors who were working in these clinics have been extended till March 2022 and alternate jobs would be provided for them.
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami launched “Amma Mini Clinics” on December 14, 2020 in Chennai at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak. Around 2000 such mini clinics were set up across the state to strengthen the public health infrastructure. Chennai alone was to have 200 Amma Mini Clinics and more were slated to be set up in densely populated areas.
Each mini clinic would have have a doctor, a nurse and an assistant to help with public consultation along with facilities for checking body temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen, haemoglobin, blood sugar, urine samples, etc.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had lauded the Tamil Nadu government’s move for launching the scheme in the middle of a pandemic that will provide for better and accessible medical facilities for the public.
The DMK government’s move to shut the doors of Amma Mini Clinic has attracted criticism from the AIADMK, BJP and the AMMK.
Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemned the DMK government’s move and said that the it is shutting down these clinic out of political vendetta as it bears the name ‘Amma’ (late J. Jayalalithaa).
“The DMK government has reaffirmed that it is a government that does not care about the welfare of the poor and common people.”, Palaniswami said in a social media post.
Pointing out the double of Health Minister Ma. Subrmanian, BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai said that it is a government’s duty to continue schemes meant for the welfare of people.
T.T.V. Dhinakaran, chief of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam too condemned the DMK government for closing down Amma Mini Clinics.
தமிழகம் முழுவதும் அம்மா மினி கிளினிக்குகள் மூடப்பட்டிருப்பதாக மக்கள் நல்வாழ்வுத் துறை அமைச்சர் கூறியிருப்பது கண்டனத்திற்குரியது. அரசியல் காழ்ப்புணர்ச்சியால் மேற்கொள்ளப்படும் இத்தகைய நடவடிக்கைகள் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியாதவை. (1/4)
— TTV Dhinakaran (@TTVDhinakaran) January 4, 2022
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