Work on new mohalla clinics picks up pace, health department identifies 80 sites in Delhi

The health department has identified 80 sites in the national Capital for setting up of mohalla clinics. The details of the sites will be sent to the Public Works Department (PWD) for the completion of the project. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in its Budget 2018-2019 has proposed setting up of 1,000 such clinics in the city.

"The work is on. The medical officers are visiting the sites on a regular basis and we are submitting the report to the PWD every week. So far, we have visited and identified 80 such sites in various parts of the capital," said a senior officer from Delhi's health department.

The government, this year, has put a timeline for all the important projects in Delhi. As per the timeline of mohalla clinics, the joint survey by the PWD and the chief medical officers should be completed by April 30.

"Only 15 percent of the sites have been identified as of now. And the deadline to identify the remaining sites it just one week away. It seems quite impossible to meet the deadline set up by the government," said another health officer.

The AAP government has managed to set up 160 mohalla clinics till December 31 this fiscal against the target of 1,000 such facilities. The data was provided by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the First Outcome Report tabled in Delhi Assembly last month. The report further stated that 32 lakh patients have availed healthcare services from these clinics.

The Delhi government in its outcome report had alleged that the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has delayed the establishment of 1,000 mohalla clinics by nine months and establishment of 500 mohalla clinics in schools by four months.

Kejriwal on March 11 alleged that the Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash refused to accept important files regarding the setting up of mohalla and polyclinics in the national capital. The first file was related to the setting-up of mohalla clinics and contained comments of the chief minister on why the department of health despite having received No Objection Certificates from various departments for 530 sites in addition to 296 sites in schools (nearly 830 new mohalla clinic sites), has only been to provide an estimated timeline for construction of 243 new mohalla clinics so far.

TARGET OF 1K CLINICS

• 164 Aam Aadmi mohalla clinics have been identified so far
   
• About 80 lakh people had availed health services at these clinics
   
• The target is to construct 1,000 mohalla clinics
   
• Similarly, 24 polyclinics are in operation and 94 more dispensaries have been identified for starting polyclinics
   
• An outlay of Rs 403 crore is proposed for the mohalla clinics and polyclinics in 2018-2019