Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Delhi Chief Minister’s first order issued from the custody on Sunday which is being investigating by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday came out with an another directive issued to the health department by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on smooth functioning of the AAP’s flagship Mohalla Clinics.
After the AAP supremo’s directions, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has called a special session of Delhi Assembly on Wednesday to discuss the availability on free medicines in Mohalla Clinics. The chief secretary has been asked to give a status report on the free medicines and free tests in hospitals and mohalla clinics. The Health Minister has said that if there is a shortage of free medicines, then the chief secretary should come up with an action plan to fix the issue. He further asked the chief secretary to also give a complete plan to tackle the issue of a shortage of free tests, if there is any.
Taking cognizance of the second directions, ED sources said it will probe the party’s claim as no stationery is allowed for those in custody. Sources said both Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj will be questioned on the source of the purported “order”, and who brought it and delivered it to her and when. Sources said the agency will verify the claim through CCTV footage.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj said that despite being in jail, Arvind Kejriwal is worried about the health of the people of Delhi. “He has issued me a direction in this regard. In his direction, he said that free medicines are not available in some of the Delhi hospitals and mohalla clinics. Besides, free tests are also not being conducted in some of them,” Bharadwaj said. “He has directed me to solve these issues.”
The Health Minister said Kejriwal received information about problems in laboratory tests available at Mohalla Clinics and issued the directions. “His order is God’s order to us. Shri Arvind Kejriwal is in jail, but he is fully concerned about the health facilities in Delhi,” said the Health Minister. The health department will act immediately to address the issues, Bharadwaj said. He said the latest directions from Kejriwal show that despite being in custody, he always thinks about the wellbeing of the people of Delhi.
Bharadwaj said in Delhi, lakhs of people are fully dependent on free medicines in government hospitals as they cannot afford to buy them. “Some people need life-long medicines such as those suffering from diabetes and blood pressure. There are some kidney patients who need dialysis,” said the Health Minister.
Earlier on Sunday, Kejriwal had issued the first order while in the ED’s custody, directing Water Minister Atishi to resolve water and sewage issues in the national Capital.
