Chandigarh, October 28: In a first-of-its-kind step, the Punjab Government is preparing to take its Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) inside prisons — a move that officials say could reshape the state’s approach to prison healthcare and disease prevention.
The plan will see 10 new AACs set up inside all central jails of Punjab, offering 107 free medicines and 47 types of diagnostic tests to inmates. The initiative aims to address rising health risks linked to overcrowding and communicable diseases such as Hepatitis C, HIV and Tuberculosis.
With more than 4.2 crore patients already treated at AACs and about 73,000 people using their services daily, the Mann Government says the model’s success has encouraged it to reach sections of society often left outside mainstream care.
“Health care cannot stop at prison gates,” a senior health official said. “By extending Aam Aadmi Clinics to jails, we’re ensuring that every citizen, regardless of circumstances, receives essential medical support.”
Currently, Punjab operates 881 clinics across the state. The government has floated tenders for 236 more, which would take the total to 1,117 once completed. The Health Department has started identifying locations inside jails for the new facilities.
Though doctors are already posted round-the-clock in prisons, officials said AACs will bring standardized protocols, wider diagnostic access, and better preventive care. Experts believe this could reduce prison referrals to outside hospitals and help control communicable diseases among inmates.
Public health observers have described the expansion as an example of “inclusive healthcare governance.” By bringing free treatment and testing to the incarcerated population, Punjab joins a small group of Indian states experimenting with structured prison healthcare models.
Officials said the initiative underscores the Mann Government’s broader goal of making primary healthcare accessible, affordable, and equitable — not just in urban or rural communities, but also in the most restricted spaces of society.
