New Delhi: The Delhi government has decided to shut down around 250 Mohalla Clinics operating from rented premises, Health minister Pankaj Singh announced on Thursday. He claimed these clinics were largely non-functional and incurred unnecessary rental costs. The government will now focus on setting up healthcare facilities on its own land to eliminate financial mismanagement.
Singh also revealed plans to introduce Jan Arogya Mandirs, replacing one Mohalla Clinic in each district within the next 30 days. Additionally, the registration process for the Ayushman Bharat scheme will begin after March 8. This initiative, passed by the Delhi Cabinet on February 20, aims to provide Rs 5 lakh health insurance to 6.54 lakh low-income families. The Delhi government will contribute an additional Rs 5 lakh per beneficiary.
To improve healthcare accessibility, Singh announced the deployment of 10 mobile dental vans in rural areas, with plans to expand the service. He also emphasised strict monitoring of hospital bed allotments and EWS quotas, appointing two nodal officers for transparency.
Highlighting issues in medicine procurement, Singh stated that the government would sign an MoU with PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras to purchase affordable, high-quality generic medicines, reducing reliance on private suppliers.
The minister expressed concern over the high percentage of childbirths occurring outside hospitals and stressed the need to promote institutional deliveries. Additionally, he directed that all private hospitals and nursing homes must meet operational and safety standards before receiving registration. Singh assured that visible improvements in Delhi’s healthcare system would be evident within 100 days, with regular video conferences held to monitor progress in government hospitals.