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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Delhi govt opens 33 Arogya Mandirs
Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced that the Capital will get more than 1,100 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) by March 2026, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government inaugurated 33 AAMs and 17 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) across the city in a major push to overhaul Delhi's primary healthcare network. Speaking at the citywide launch event, Gupta called the rollout a 'decisive break' from the Mohalla Clinics model of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime, which she said were conducting 'fake tests' and were 'centres of corruption'. Speaking at Tis Hazari, Gupta said each of Delhi's 70 constituencies will receive 15 AAMs. 'The central government sanctioned ₹2,400 crore for these facilities in 2020, but the AAP government blocked their implementation out of political ego. A total of 1,139 Arogya Mandirs have been sanctioned in Delhi, and we have to finish the work by March otherwise the funds will lapse. We have just eight months to execute what should have been done over five years,' she said. Gupta described AAMs as a leap forward from Mohalla Clinics. 'These aren't just OPD centres. AAMs will offer comprehensive healthcare under 12 service packages—ranging from maternal and child health to mental healthcare, geriatric support, and management of chronic diseases like TB, leprosy, and diabetes,' she said, adding that lab tests, preventive care, and national health programme support will also be available in-house. Launched in 2015, Mohalla Clinics were conceived by the AAP as free, walk-in neighbourhood facilities offering basic healthcare and medicines. But since taking power, the BJP has dismantled the network, alleging they were 'hotspots of corruption,' with inflated billing, missing medicines, and misuse of public funds. 'Wherever AAMs come up, Mohalla Clinics will be shut down,' Gupta said. 'People deserve a better, more reliable healthcare system.' In her speech, she lambasted the earlier model. 'Mohalla Clinics were just porta cabins set up on pavements. Health officers were paid ₹40 per patient, incentivising inflated bills over actual care. Many clinics became shelters for stray animals and addicts. Outsourced testing and rent payments became avenues for siphoning off public money.' The new AAMs, officials said, will feature permanent infrastructure, qualified staff, and digital health records. In addition to healthcare services, the 17 new JAKs opened on Tuesday will provide generic medicines and surgical supplies at 50-80% below market rates under the PMBJP scheme. Gupta said these centres will eventually be expanded to all government hospitals in Delhi, providing financial relief to patients and employment to entrepreneurs. Tuesday's launch was conducted via a coordinated blitz across the city. While Gupta inaugurated the Tis Hazari facility, cabinet ministers, MPs, and MLAs held parallel events in their constituencies. Health minister Dr Pankaj Singh opened a centre in Vikaspuri, while cabinet colleagues Parvesh Verma, Kapil Mishra, and Ashish Sood launched facilities at Babar Road, Khajuri Khas, and Janakpuri, respectively. South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri inaugurated the Tughlaqabad centre, and North East MP Manoj Tiwari was present in Yamuna Vihar. Health minister Pankaj Singh said access to quality health care and cleanliness is the fundamental right of every Delhiite. 'Our government is ensuring that this right becomes a reality. There will be no longer need to visit large hospitals for basic treatments. Medical tests and medicines will now be available easily and without delay,' he said. He also said that AAMs will offer OPD services from 8am to 2pm every day except Sunday. Minister Verma said: 'Within 100 days, 33 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and 17 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been inaugurated. This proves the resolve of the Central Government and the working power of the Delhi government.' The launch was targetted by the AAP. AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of rebranding AAP's work. 'They're repainting Mohalla Clinics and calling them AAMs,' he said, citing the Chirag Delhi dispensary as an example. 'It was inaugurated by AAP in 2017. The BJP simply slapped a new name on the board. They haven't built anything new.' Bharadwaj alleged the BJP's narrative was 'an exercise in daily lies,' adding, 'The people of Delhi know who built these clinics. The BJP is hijacking our work and selling it back as its own.' CM, meanwhile, blamed the AAP government for 'deliberately' avoiding opening Jan Ayshadhi Kendra due to political considerations. 'The new government has decided to establish these centres in all government hospitals, and 17 centers were inaugurated today in 17 hospitals. These Kendras will operate under the PMBJP and offer affordable, quality medicines, medical equipment, and surgical items at prices 50% to 80% lower than market rates. This initiative not only offers financial relief to patients but also creates employment opportunities for entrepreneurs,' said CM Gupta. Gupta stressed her government is committed to long-term capacity building. 'We are working towards a target of three hospital beds per 1,000 citizens in Delhi. Today, that number is just 0.42,' she said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Chief minister inaugurates ayushman arogya mandirs and jan aushadhi kendras in delhi
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta led the inauguration of 33 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) and 17 Jan Aushadhi Kendra units on Tuesday. She formally opened the AAM at Tis Hazari and the Delhi Secretariat. Other ministers inaugurated the centres in their respective constituencies, while BJP MPs and political figures launched the remaining facilities. In her speech at Tis Hazari, Gupta announced that AAMs would replace the mohalla clinics, offering improved healthcare services. CM confirmed AAMS would have permanent, well-equipped infrastructure, staffed by qualified medical professionals. They would offer comprehensive services, including preventive care, family planning, immunisations and essential medicines. She criticised the mohalla clinic model, alleging it fostered corruption instead of benefiting the public. She pointed out that numerous clinics were constructed near drains, staffed by untrained personnel and outsourced all testing, resulting in financial irregularities. She also noted problems like rental costs and clinics becoming centres of antisocial activities. She claimed that the central govt allocated ₹2,400 crore in health grants for Delhi to establish AAMs five years ago, which the previous govt didn't use. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Seniors Qualify For the New 87¢ Generic Viagra - See How Health Alliance by Friday Plans Learn More Undo Her govt intended to establish over 1,100 AAM centres by March next year, she said. The AAMs will deliver extensive healthcare through 12 service packages, among them maternal vaccinations, pre and post-natal care, mental health support, elderly care, and national health programmes addressing TB, leprosy and non-communicable diseases. On-site laboratory testing will be available. She also reiterated govt's commitment to assuring three hospital beds per 1,000 residents in Delhi, ensuring accessible treatment for all citizens. She requested the support of lawyers at the Tis Hazari court in maintaining cleanliness, particularly addressing the issue of poster placement around court premises. As for Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Gupta again criticised the previous govt for its reluctance to establish these centres due to their nomenclature of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana. On Tuesday, 17 such centres in govt hospitals. Operating under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, these will offer medicines and supplies at 50-80% below market rates for the benefit of patients. At the AAM inauguration in Old Barat Ghar in Gupta Enclave, Vikas Nagar, health minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said, "Access to quality healthcare and cleanliness is not just a promise — it is the fundamental right of every Delhiite. Our govt is ensuring that this right becomes a reality." Dr Singh confirmed the expansion plans for healthcare, stating, "Wherever there is available govt land, we will establish more facilities to make healthcare and medical treatment more accessible to the city's people. "
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Wherever Arogya Mandirs open, Mohalla Clinics will be pushed out: CM
The Delhi government on Tuesday inaugurated 50 health centres — 33 Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (U-AAMs) and 17 Jan Aushadhi Kendras — in the national capital. The BJP government had earlier decided to roll out a network of U-AAMs and subsume Mohalla Clinics, a flagship plan of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime, in the expanded programme after a Comptroller and Auditor General report tabled in the Assembly revealed shortcomings in the functioning of the clinics. Speaking after the inauguration of a U-AAM at the Tis Hazari court complex, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said there is a 'hell and heaven difference' between both Mohalla Clinics and U-AAMs. Claiming that Mohalla Clinics did not have the necessary infrastructure to treat patients, Ms. Gupta assured that the AAMs would 'fill the gaps created by the Mohalla Clinics'. 'The Central government had sanctioned ₹2,400 crore in health grants for Delhi, which went unused for the past five years. The current government has now started utilising that fund to build 1,139 AAMs,' the CM said, adding that over 1,100 AAMs will be unveiled by March 2026. 'Wherever Arogya Mandirs open, Mohalla Clinics will be pushed out with the previous government's broom,' she added. The U-AAMs will offer consultations and medication and have in-house diagnostic tests, vaccinations for pregnant women, prenatal and postnatal care, mental health services, elderly care, and support for national health programs like TB elimination, said CM Gupta. Meanwhile, Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been inaugurated inside 17 hospitals. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana, the kendras offer affordable, quality medicines, medical equipment, and surgical items at discounted prices up to 50%-80% lower than market rates. 'Repainted clinics' Hitting out at the BJP government, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj said, 'Mohalla Clinics and dispensaries built by the [Arvind] Kejriwal government are being repainted and renamed as AAMs. The BJP claims it has built 33 new AAMs. In reality, they are simply repainting old facilities and calling them new.' Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav also alleged that the BJP is only making 'superficial changes' with new coats of paint and passing them off as new clinics. (With inputs from Ammar Aziz Safwi)
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
‘Mohalla clinics promoted corruption, not public health': Delhi CM at launch of 33 Arogya Mandirs
Thirty-three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) offering free basic healthcare services were inaugurated across Delhi's 70 Assembly constituencies by the Chief Minister and her Cabinet on Tuesday. Launching the facility at Tis Hazari, CM Rekha Gupta said these centres would offer permanent, well-equipped infrastructure as compared to the temporary and limited mohalla clinics. The government has plans to establish 1,139 AAMs across the Capital, with 15 centres in every Assembly constituency. 'The central government had sanctioned Rs 2,400 crore in health grants for Delhi, which went unused for the past five years. The current government has now started utilising that fund to build 1,139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs,' Gupta said. The AAMs 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 programmes like TB elimination, leprosy eradication, and non-communicable disease management. They will also offer comprehensive OPD services and free consultations. In-house laboratory testing for basic diagnostic tests will also be available at these centres. 'The clinics will be staffed with qualified doctors, nurses, and lab technicians, and will provide preventive healthcare, family planning services, vaccinations, and essential medicines,' said Gupta. Criticising the previous AAP government's mohalla clinic model, Gupta said it promoted corruption rather than public health — many mohalla clinics were built along roadside drains, staffed by untrained personnel, and relied on outsourced testing, which led to financial misappropriation. She also highlighted issues like excessive rent and how clinics became hotspots for anti-social activities. Meanwhile, Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh launched the clinic at Vikaspuri while Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa inaugurated the Ayushman Arogya Mandir in Chaukhandi. Delhi PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh launched the facility at Babar Road. In Sarojini Nagar, his wife, Swati Singh Verm, inaugurated the Aarogya Mandir. Discussing the launch of Jan Aushadhi Kendras, the CM said the new government has decided to establish them at all government hospitals. Seventeen centres were inaugurated Tuesday in 17 hospitals. These facilities will operate under the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendra and offer affordable, quality medicines, medical equipment, and surgical items at 50%-80% lower than market rates. This initiative not only offers financial relief to patients but also creates employment opportunities for entrepreneurs, officials said. Gupta also reaffirmed her government's goal of ensuring three hospital beds per 1,000 citizens in Delhi and promised that no Delhiite would be denied treatment due to lack of access.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Maternity care to yoga: Delhi's new Arogya Mandirs open doors with a host of services
Pharmacies, maternity centres, play areas for toddlers: Two new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) on Babar Road and Sarojini Nagar opened their doors to the public with a host of amenities on Tuesday. These AAMs in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area, which earlier housed dispensaries, are among 33 Arogya Mandirs and 17 Jan Aushadi Kendras that were inaugurated by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other ministers in different parts of Delhi. In a post on X, Gupta wrote: 'The inauguration of 33 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Delhi today marks a comprehensive campaign for a healthy and secure lifestyle. These Ayushman Mandirs will provide 105 completely free-of-cost essential medicines, along with 14 in-house and 79 advanced diagnostic tests. Modern facilities such as yoga sessions every Monday and Thursday, and screenings for five types of cancers, including breast, uterine, and prostate, will also be available.' The Sarojini Nagar clinic was completely revamped, said medical officer in-charge, Dr Shelly Dua Chauhan, who has been practising since 1996. It was earlier an allopathic-only dispensary, now hired by the Delhi government to open the Arogya Mandir. The AAM offers several services under one roof — doctor consultation, blood tests, physiotherapy, and a pharmacy, among others, which will be free of cost. It has two doctors, a physiotherapist, and helping staff. It also has a dedicated play area for children. 'This is a one stop for every medical need. There will be a token system to avoid queues,' Dr Chauhan said. A poster stuck on the wall at the entrance gate lists the various benefits of practising yoga. 'I think women need to step out of their homes at least once daily. It's beneficial for their mental health as well. Here, at the centre, we have yoga and meditation, seeing the need of the hour,' Dr Chauhan added. At the Babar Road facility, a dedicated parking area has been demarcated for the differently abled, including a ramp, to ensure easy accessibility. It also has a pharmacy stocked with allopathy, homoeopathy and ayurvedic medicines and is fully digitalised. Patients can find the pharmacy on the ground floor and the maternity and child welfare centre on the first floor, with a waiting area having adequate seating. There are play areas on both floors created for infants, toddlers, and young children. All centres plan to hold free monthly camps so people can check their diabetes levels, thyroid, and blood pressure, among other tests. There will also be a special focus on raising awareness about the 'girl child.' The major advantage of the AAM, according to the NDMC, is the establishment of a laboratory for the purpose of screening, detecting, and evaluating conditions that patients present with. Inaugurating the two centres, New Delhi MLA and Cabinet Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said, 'The central government had allotted Rs 2,400 crore five years ago for making these [facilities], but the previous government was not able to utilise the funds and not construct even a single one of them.' CM Gupta also said, in her post on X, that more centres will come up. 'Additionally, these centres will be equipped with digital health records, emergency oxygen supply, mother-child care rooms, and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Our next goal is to upgrade 964 more centres to ensure affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare services reach every street and every colony.'
