Govt to launch over 100 Mohalla Clinics from September: Sources
Delhi government will also extend Mohalla Clinics timings
NEW DELHI: 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 in these clinics and also some last-minute infrastructural work is going on. "Most of these Mohalla Clinics are fully ready. The Public Works Department (PWD) 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.
The Delhi government will also extend the timings of Mohalla or neighbourhood clinics, and in effect starting a second shift in them to cater to excessive demand. The existing clinics, each seeing visits by at least 150 patients a day will be open from 7 am to 7 pm, six days a week. Mohalla Clinics of Delhi, the flagship project of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will also get an up gradation where the various important tests for the patients would be outsourced to the private labs. Tenders have also been issued for outsourcing laboratory services for the clinics and mobile health services. This will make the tests faster and perfect.
"The Delhi government tries to give all the tests facilities at the Mohallah Clinics but in some places, we face problems due to lack of technicians. Now if we can outsource these tests it will help the patients and also bring down the rush," said an official.
Meanwhile, after lots of tussle with the DDA the Delhi government has decided to take semi-commercial spaces on rent to make MohallahClinics. By November, the Delhi government will make 500 more Mohallah Clinics, said the sources in the Delhi government. In an urgent meeting with the Health Minister, the department took the decision.
