Over 30 Mohalla Clinics to be open for 12 hrs, say sources

NEW DELHI: Delhi government has decided to make a list of more than 30 Mohalla Clinics across the city which would be open for 12 hours. Nearly 36 Mohallah Clinics has been decided as per sources which would provide the extended period of OPD service. Earlier, all the Mohalla Clinics worked only for eight hours. "This is a decision which was taken keeping in mind the necessity of the Mohalla Clinics. Now more people are coming to the clinics and the extended time will help the doctors to provide better health facility," said an official.

According to sources all the Chief District Medical Officers were asked to send their recommendations for appointment of doctors in these clinics and to ensure adequate stock of medicines.

There are 204 Mohalla Clinics which offer primary healthcare facilities, besides providing nine essential medicines and 212 tests free of cost to beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government is all set to launch more than 100 Mohalla Clinics by next month, said the sources in the government. All these clinics are mostly ready for the use and now the government is working on the appointment of doctors on these clinics and also some last-minute infrastructural work is going on. "Most of these Mohalla Clinics are fully ready. The Public Works Department is working on the last minute setting of furniture in these clinics. The work of appointment of doctors are also going on," said a senior official.

According to the officials, most of these clinics are built in both government lands and rented lands. "The government has now decided to rent private lands because the projects got delayed due to the availability of the lands. Now after the decision of taking lands in rent, the work progress is going fast," said the official. After lots of tussle with the DDA, the Delhi government has decided to take semi-commercial spaces on rent to make Mohalla Clinics. By November the Delhi government to make 500 more Mohalla Clinics said the sources in the Delhi government. In an urgent meeting with the Health Minister, the department took the decision. Sources in the Delhi government also said that next week the department is likely to inaugurate nine Mohalla Clinics at various places across Delhi.