Patiala, June 25 -- The Punjab health department has raised concerns regarding the reported overprescription of drugs by doctors of Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs). The department has now warned doctors of strict action if the discrepancy continued. The concern was raised during a meeting of civil surgeons on Tuesday chaired by directors of the Punjab health department and Punjab System Health Corporation (procurement). During the meeting, one of the senior officials of the health department expressed the misuse of various medicines, including antibiotics by medical officers of Aam Aadmi Clinics. An officer, while pointing out the overdose, said, "One of the patients was prescribed 20 Cetirizine tablets for a day by a doctor of Aam Aadmi Clinic. When I questioned the same, the medical officer called it a mistake. I know this is not a mistake." Another senior officer, while highlighting the discrepancy, said that a patient was being called after every two days, and the same amount of antibiotics were being prescribed by the medical officer, which was medically wrong. The officer, pointing out another anomaly, said that IV fluid (normal saline) was reportedly disbursed even before a programme under which the IV fluid was to be administered kicked off. Senior health officers asked civil surgeons to keep a check on such things in Aam Aadmi Clinics. The issues have been highlighted at a time when new medical services, pregnancy care, newborn care, child immunisation, and treatment for dog bite cases and non-communicable diseases are to be started at Aam Aadmi Clinics. "We have been asked to closely monitor drug dispensation at Aam Aadmi Clinics. There have been reports of over-prescription of drugs by the medical officer of Aam Aadmi Clinics. We will now give a warning to these medical officers, who have been over-prescribing medicines to the patients," said one of the civil surgeons pleading anonymity. The perception of over-prescription by government medical officers, coupled with their allowance for private practice and potential ties to private hospitals, raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Confirming the development, a senior health official said, "We found discrepancies during random checking by our IT team. We have already raised the issue with civil surgeons, who have been asked to keep an eye on Aam Aadmi Clinics. If it continues, we wouldn't hesitate in taking strict action against these medical officers."...