In a step to boost health services in the national capital, 33 new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and 17 Jan Aushadhi Kendras were inaugurated on Tuesday. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who inaugurated these health centres situated at Tis Hazari and the Delhi secretariat, said they bring a new ray of hope for the citizens.
She assured that the health centres will strengthen primary healthcare and ensure access to quality medical services for all.
According to Gupta, the Delhi government is committed to delivering affordable and timely healthcare to every resident and is working around the clock to achieve this mission.
The CM highlighted that this initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and marks a major step toward transformative changes in the healthcare sector.
She informed that as part of the Ayushman Bharat Mission, the Delhi Government plans to establish 1139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across the capital, with 15 centers in every assembly constituency offering free basic healthcare services.
Gupta emphasized that the government is working with full dedication under the motto “Swasth Delhi, Sashakt Delhi” to ensure the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme reach every citizen.
She pointed out that these new health centers are far more advanced than the Mohalla Clinics initiated by the previous government.
As per CM, while the Mohalla Clinics only offered basic OPD services, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will provide comprehensive healthcare under 12 service packages, including vaccinations for pregnant women, antenatal and postnatal care, mental health services, elderly care, and support for national health programs like TB elimination, leprosy eradication, and non-communicable disease management.
Notably, in-house laboratory testing will also be available at these centers, which will provide facilities for various health tests.
CM strongly criticized the previous government’s health model of the Mohalla Clinics, alleging that it hardly promoted public health, and rather became prone to corruption.
Gupta alleged that many of those clinics were built on roadside drains, staffed by untrained personnel, and relied on outsourced testing, which led to financial misappropriation.
She also claimed that the central government had sanctioned Rs 2400 crore in health grants for Delhi, which went unused for the past five years, but the current dispensation has now started utilizing that fund to build 1139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
The CM assured that these centers would offer permanent, well-equipped infrastructure as compared to the temporary and limited Mohalla Clinics.
According to the CM, wherever Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are opened and operational, Mohalla Clinics will be closed, as people now deserve a better and more reliable healthcare system.
She reaffirmed her government’s goal of ensuring 3 hospital beds per 1000 citizens in Delhi, and promised that no resident of the national capital would be denied treatment due to lack of access.
Throwing light on the Jan Aushadhi Kendras, the CM accused the previous government of deliberately avoiding opening such centers as they were linked to the “Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana.”
As per Gupta, the new government has decided to establish these centers in all government hospitals, and 17 such centers have been inaugurated on Tuesday across 17 hospitals.
These Kendras will operate under the PMBJP and offer affordable, quality medicines, medical equipment, and surgical items at prices 50 percent to 80 percent lower than market rates, she added.
Meanwhile, Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma inaugurated and dedicated two Ayushman Arogya mandirs on Tuesday, including one at Babar Road dispensary, Bengali Market, and another at Sarojini Nagar dispensary.
Similarly, Minister Ashish Sood inaugurated the health centre at Janakpuri, and Minister Kapil Mishra dedicated the health centre to the public in the Khajuri Khas area of North East Delhi.
Sood informed that these centres will offer free in-house diagnostic tests such as LFT, KFT, Lipid Profile, Sugar, BP, and others.
Additionally, over 200 essential medicines will be provided free of cost.
He said that these centers are also equipped with wellness services, air-conditioning, clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, waiting areas, and day-care services for women.
Special provisions have been made for mothers visiting with newborns and caretakers of elderly patients, ensuring comfort and dignity for all.
source: https://www.thestatesman.com/