Less turnout at mohalla clinics on Sunday, doctors cite lack of public awareness

With the Delhi government’s notification to mohalla clinics, polyclinics and state-run dispensaries to remain open through the week till October 30, most clinics and dispensaries on Sunday witnessed moderate to low turnout, while a beeline of patients was spotted at fever clinics in city hospitals.

At a time when fever clinics at state-run hospitals are witnessing a huge rush, the government’s decision to open mohalla clinics, polyclinics and dispensaries was seen as a step to reduce the burden on city hospitals.

The Paschim Vihar polyclinic, which witnesses 300 fever patients daily during week days, saw less than 50 till 2pm on Sunday. 

Even the Peeragarhi mohalla clinic, one of the busiest clinics, saw less than 100 patients till 1:30pm.

A senior doctor at a Vikaspuri dispensary said that lesser number of patients had visited the facility on Sunday as against other days.

In response to a low patient turnout at Delhi government’s clinics and dispensaries on the first working Sunday,  a senior doctor from the Delhi Directorate General Health Services (DGHS) said, “Since it is the first working  day on a gazetted holiday, the lack of awareness among patients about it might have lead to a low turnout. I am sure that next Sunday there will be a huge turnout.”

Even as the turnout of patients at mohalla clinics, polyclinics and dispensaries was lesser than expected, a huge rush was seen at fever clinics in major Delhi government hospitals. 

The number of patients screened at the fever clinic in LNJP Hospital, Delhi government’s largest facility, had crossed 500 till 6 pm on Sunday.

When asked about how useful would the Delhi government’s clinics and dispensaries be in reducing the load on major city hospitals, a senior doctor at the LNJP Hospital said, “Patients have bcome more cautious today. Even if a patient is suffering from viral fever, s/he wants to be kept under observation for sometime. So, it’s understood that major city hospitals will be burdened with patients.” 

She added that 90 per cent of the daily cases were not complicated.

A sense of panic has gripped Delhiites due to a surge in dengue and chikungunya deaths. As of now, 15 people have died due to chikungunya, which is otherwise considered a non-fatal disease. 

The death review committee set up by the Delhi government, however, has not confirmed any chikungunya death. It says most patients, suspected to have died of  the vector-borne disease, were in state of comorbidity, wherein a patient suffers from complications besides the primary disease.