Punjab has taken a major step toward strengthening maternal and child health by reshaping how pregnancy care is delivered across the state. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state government has shifted a large part of maternal healthcare to neighbourhood level facilities, with Aam Aadmi Clinics becoming the first point of care for expectant mothers. Just four months after rolling out a structured and protocol based pregnancy care system, the response has been striking, with close to 20,000 pregnant women now visiting these clinics every month.
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the initiative has already delivered tangible results. More than 10,000 women have received ultrasound scans free of cost through a newly created referral mechanism. By partnering with nearly 500 private diagnostic centres, the government has ensured that services which typically cost between ₹800 and ₹2,000 are provided without any charge. In just 120 days, this has reduced household medical spending by an estimated ₹1 crore.
Government data had earlier highlighted serious gaps in maternal care. Fewer than seven in ten pregnant women were getting their first antenatal check up, and less than 60 percent completed the recommended four visits. Punjab’s maternal mortality ratio stood at 90 per one lakh live births, exceeding the national average. These indicators made it clear that a more accessible and consistent pregnancy care framework was urgently needed.
With around 4.3 lakh pregnancies recorded in the state every year, timely screening and regular follow-ups are crucial for protecting mothers and newborns. Over the past three years, the Mann government has built a network of 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics, which now form the foundation of Punjab’s primary healthcare system. These clinics have logged more than 4.6 crore outpatient visits and currently cater to about 70,000 patients every day. The expanded pregnancy care model was layered onto this existing infrastructure about four months ago.
Under the revised system, expectant mothers can receive almost all essential antenatal services directly at their local Aam Aadmi Clinic. This includes blood tests, screening for HIV and syphilis, sugar and thyroid checks, hepatitis tests, fetal heart monitoring, cholesterol evaluation, and hemoglobin assessment. When an ultrasound is required, doctors issue an official referral that allows women to undergo the scan at empanelled centres without paying anything.
Each month, nearly 5,000 women are flagged as high-risk cases. This enables healthcare teams to closely monitor these pregnancies, offer targeted support, and ensure timely referrals to higher-level hospitals when specialist intervention is needed.
The changes have also made pregnancy care far more convenient. Women no longer need to travel long distances or wait for hours at overcrowded hospitals. Most tests can be completed close to home, consultations are quicker, and ultrasound scans no longer create a financial burden. From the first antenatal visit to postnatal follow-up, the entire care journey is now linked through standard clinical protocols, digital tracking, efficient referral systems, and community-level outreach.
Reflecting on the impact of the programme, Dr Balbir Singh said the initiative demonstrates the Punjab government’s long-term commitment to mothers and children. He noted that with lakhs of pregnancies every year, bringing comprehensive pregnancy care to Aam Aadmi Clinics is a transformative move that places quality healthcare within reach of every family and sets a new standard for primary care delivery in the country.
The state government views this reform as one of its most important investments in maternal and child health in recent years. By removing barriers related to distance, cost, and lack of awareness, the initiative aims to ensure that no woman is excluded from essential care while steadily improving outcomes for mothers and newborns across Punjab.
