Chandigarh, June 27 (IANS): Punjab Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Thursday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government for causing irreparable damage to the healthcare system of the state.

Citing a news report, Bajwa said six doctors posted in government hospitals have resigned in less than two months in Bathinda.

They stated family reasons for quitting their positions.

However, the news report referred to some sources and said that several doctors feel overburdened in the government system.

"Presenting a sorry state of affairs of the health system in Punjab, another news report says that against 121 sanctioned posts of doctors, half of them, 56, including posts of SMO, are lying vacant at Ferozepur and Zira subdivisions.

"Similarly, 85 of 117 medical officers posts were lying vacant in the home district of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's home district Sangrur," Bajwa added.

Senior Congress leader Bajwa said due to the ongoing stalemate between the Union Health Ministry and the AAP government in Punjab, Rs 650 crore has not been released by the Union government under the National Health Mission.

"Before the Assembly election in Punjab in 2022, both AAP supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann promised to provide better health facilities in the state. On the contrary, the health services have deteriorated ever since the AAP got hold of power in Punjab. The health services in Punjab have fractured terribly in the AAP regime," Bajwa added.

Bajwa said AAP even guaranteed to provide medicines, operations, and tests free of cost. It also promised to make health cards for all citizens.