New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh on Sunday hit out at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for failure to give appointment letters to hospital staff in the city, due to which the medical services deteriorated over the years.

He said after a gap of 15 years, appointment letters were issued to nursing officers and allied healthcare professionals in the city.

“It is a matter of pride that our government is addressing the staff shortage that came to our notice after government formation,” Singh told IANS, assuring that the Rekha Gupta government is committed to working closely with the medical department officials and staff to improve facilities in the city.

He was speaking to reporters after Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda handed over appointment letters to 1,388 Nursing Officers and 41 Allied Healthcare Professionals.

The Delhi Health Minister said this recruitment of nurses should have been done five years ago, but the previous government failed to do so.

Giving an update on the free medical insurance for 70-plus citizens, the Health Minister said the Delhi government has managed to issue over two lakh cards under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY).

Earlier, Nadda said, “The Delhi government is working in the direction of ensuring the right to be healthy throughout life with dignity under Vay Vandana. Till date, 4 lakh Ayushman Cards have been issued in Delhi, with 2 lakh cards issued under Vay Vandana.”

He urged all stakeholders to work dedicatedly towards implementing PM-ABHIM in Delhi and fulfil the target of opening 1,100 Ayushman Arogya mandirs till 31st March, 2026.

Flagging off 20 Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans, he said, “Running 70 specially designed Vans in all Assembly constituencies is a novel initiative in order to cover all eligible beneficiaries of PM Jan Arogya Scheme.”

“Twenty specially designed mobile vans are being flagged off. Seventy such Vans will cover 70 Assembly constituencies where they will collect and generate data for issuance of Ayushman Card and register the beneficiaries at their doorsteps,” he said.

–IANS

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