Patiala, Nov. 7 -- The Punjab health department is considering a proposal to hand over several government-run civil hospitals to private entities under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, sparking concerns and opposition from healthcare workers and unions. According to officials familiar with the matter in the health department, discussions are underway to partner with private companies for the management and operation of government civil hospitals. Hospitals in Rajpura, Moga, Moonak and Ferozepur have already been visited by officials from the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) and representatives from private firms to assess the feasibility of the project, officials privy to the development said. A senior medical officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the assessment teams have been gathering information about staff strength, patient load and infrastructure needs to prepare for potential future collaboration. "It was the first such visit as part of the process to move forward with the proposal," the official added. Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh responded to concerns about the initiative, assuring that patients will receive free treatment at these hospitals, with the state government continuing to fund and manage healthcare services. "The proposal is still in the discussion stage. Nothing has been finalised yet," he clarified. The proposal has already invited opposition among various health worker unions across the state. Protests are being held in Moga and Ferozepur, with the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) and the Multipurpose Health Workers' Union voicing objections to the potential privatisation of state-run healthcare facilities. Narinder Sharma, vice-president of the Multipurpose Health Workers' Union in Ferozepur, condemned the move, stating: "We strongly oppose the government's decision. If this decision is not rolled back, we warn the government of more protests in the future." Dr Akhil Sarin, state president of the PCMSA, voiced disapproval of the government's move. "Our association has consistently maintained that the generalised privatisation of public healthcare can lead to increased treatment costs, thereby raising the out-of-pocket expenditure for the poor. The focus should be on strengthening our existing public healthcare system by enhancing funding, improving infrastructure, and addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals." he said. The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) also joined the opposition, accusing the ruling AAP government of betraying its promise of a "health revolution" in Punjab. Dr Arun Mitra, president of the IDPD, expressed concern that upcoming medical colleges in Sangrur and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar would now be established under the PPP model through the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB). The association also raised alarms about the operation and management (O&M) model being used for various other healthcare facilities in the state....