As the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC) decided to hike the rates of ambulance and other health services, the opposition parties in the State on Sunday attacked the Congress led State Government demanding the immediate rollback of the decision.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has accused the Government of profiteering during a time of pandemic by increasing rates of all health services, on the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that the decision shall put another burden on the already distressed Punjabis.

“It seems that the Congress Government wanted to profiteer from the plight of the people. Instead of making health services more affordable during a time of pandemic and ensuring free treatment to the poor, the Government had raised rates of all services,” said SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema.

“Particularly galling is the three time increase in the rate of ambulance services from Rs five per km to Rs 15 per km,” he said adding that there was a maximum need of ambulances to shift COVID-19 positive cases to hospitals and the same should be provided at subsidized cost.

“It is most condemnable that the rate of this facility has been increased by three times. This will only compel people to use private vehicles which will lead to an increase in the infection rate,” he said.

Cheema added that the rates of other services including stay in private ward, which had been doubled from Rs 500 per night to Rs 1,000; to a 15 to 20 percent increase in X-ray, ultrasound, ECG and operation charges would make treatment in government hospitals out of the reach of the poor and needy. “This hike in charges should be withdrawn immediately. The Government should subsidize these services on humanitarian grounds instead of seeking to profit from them,” he said.

Also demanding that the Government should have instead provide free treatment to the people during this corona period, AAP MLA Aman Arora said that the decision was completely anti-people. “The Government could not replenish the exchequer on the pretext of making money, the intention and policy to replenish the exchequer should be clear so that the leakage of money could be stopped by controlling the mafia,” he said.

At the same time, Arora warned the Government that if it did not rollback this “anti-people decision”, AAP would fight for the rights of the people.