250 mohalla clinics to shut with immediate effect: Delhi health minister

New Delhi

Around 250 mohalla clinics across the Capital will shut with immediate effect, Delhi health minister Pankaj Singh said on Thursday, highlighting it as part of the current government’s 100-day plan to revamp health infrastructure in Delhi.

Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat, Singh took a shot at the previous regime.

“Mohalla clinics fraud ka adda hai (Delhi mohalla clinics only exist for fraud). Around 250 mohalla clinics exist only on paper and are on rented land, with rent expenses being misused. An order has been passed to shut such clinics with immediate effect,” he said.

Mohalla clinics were set up by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in October 2015, and as of August 23, 2023, 533 mohalla clinics were running in the city.

The AAP did not respond to requests for comment.

In an interview with HT on February 21, the minister said, “We are also planning on renaming mohalla clinics as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’ and will enhance the health care services they provide.”

However, on Thursday, the minister did not mention if the clinics would be renamed. Further, he did not provide information on the future of the remaining mohalla clinics.

As part of the 100-day revamp plan, Singh said work is currently underway to fast-track implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi. “The Delhi government will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the scheme. Post March 8, you will see people filling out forms for enrolment in Ayushman Bharat,” he said.

When asked if the previous Delhi AAP government’s health schemes, such as Arogya Kosh, would be merged with Ayushman Bharat, the minister said, “Previous government schemes were only on paper. We will not adopt any of their policies. We will have our own policies and will enhance the infrastructure of the Delhi government.”

Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) was constituted in September 2011 as a society to provide financial assistance (FA) to poor patients—of up to ₹5 lakh per eligible patient, for treating any illness or disease in government hospitals.

The Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) had four subsidiary components: free surgeries for eligible patients, free hi-tech diagnostics, free treatment for medico-legal victims of road accidents (Farishtey Scheme), acid attacks and thermal burn injuries, and free dialysis.

During the press briefing, the minister also announced plans to start 10 Delhi “Dental Vans” to provide dental services in rural areas. “Orders have been issued to start 10 dental care vans. These vans will run in rural areas of Delhi and will provide dental care for the people.”

On government-run Delhi hospitals, the minister said that one medical superintendent (MS) will have charge of only one hospital and will not be responsible for the administration of multiple hospitals. “One MS will have one hospital, and in three years, they will be transferred.”

The minister said that for the past 11 years, Delhi has not had a specific maternity centre and so, it was a priority for the government. “In Delhi, still 20% of childbirths do not happen in hospitals. This data is maintained by the Delhi municipal corporation. So our aim is to bring the number of outside deliveries to zero.”