New Delhi: Mohalla clinics, billed as one of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government’s success story in Delhi, will neither be rebranded nor continued, Delhi’s health minister Pankaj Kumar Singh told ThePrint in an interview
The minister, however, did not clarify whether the mohalla clinics will be phased out entirely.
The new government, he said, will have no truck with the mohalla clinics. “The mohalla clinic project is fundamentally flawed. These clinics are just tin boxes—where is the government’s investment in them? Is this the kind of facility we should be providing, only to justify bills running into crores?” he said Monday.
Singh said that some 240 mohalla clinics are no longer viable. “They are on rented properties, and there have been significant financial losses.” To a query on whether any of the remaining clinics would continue to operate, he added that it would be decided by the Delhi cabinet.
The health minister emphasised that AAP’s mohalla clinics and the Delhi government’s Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are entirely separate entities. “They are two different things, and what we plan to introduce will be completely different. We will build Ayushman Mandirs on our government lands,” he added.
Last month, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report mentioned major gaps and infrastructure failures in the Kejriwal government’s health model. The report found that 70 percent of patients received consultations lasting less than a minute, while 18 percent of mohalla Clinics were non-operational. During the audit, 41 out of 218 clinics were found shut due to severe doctor shortages and administrative challenges.
The AAP government had set a target of establishing 1,000 mohalla clinics by March 2017 but managed to set up only 523 by March 2023—just 53 percent of the goal.
Many clinics lacked basic amenities such as drinking water, toilets, and fire extinguishers, while some had no ramps for differently-abled individuals. Several struggled with inadequate storage space for medicines, and many lacked essential medical equipment like pulse oximeters, glucometers, and thermometers, according to the report.
Singh also urged the public to wait 100 days for the launch of a new pilot project, which, according to him, would bring transformative changes to Delhi’s healthcare system. “You will see Delhi changing in 100 days,” he said.
With the BJP now in power in Delhi, the Ayushman Bharat scheme is set to be introduced in the capital soon. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed and sent to the central government, Delhi’s health minister told ThePrint.
ThePrint had earlier reported that several major private hospitals were reluctant to participate in the scheme, citing concerns over low reimbursement rates and delayed payments, calling it an “unsustainable model.”
Addressing these concerns, the minister said that fixing treatment rates and enforcing strict policies might not be welcomed by all. “Like with the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) quota, I have implemented stricter measures (assigned two of his staff in the hospitals) to ensure benefits actually reach those in need. Some may resist change, but that’s human nature. Ayushman Bharat is a 100 percent sustainable model that is successfully running across India, benefiting millions.”
Singh further stressed the need to shift focus toward strengthening maternal and child healthcare. “To my knowledge, there is no data available yet, but we should start Jachcha-Bachcha Jeevan Hospitals (maternity/paediatric hospitals) which were neglected by the previous government. This would ensure proper vaccination for children and better facilities for pregnant women, for whom several announcements have been made,” he said.
Outlining his broader healthcare vision, Singh highlighted the importance of providing essential medicines, quality treatment, and efficient day-care services. “Patients should receive proper care from both doctors and staff. Additionally, as a dental surgeon, my long-term goal is to restore the reputation of Delhi’s government hospitals to their standing in the early 2000s,” he said.
An MoU will also be signed with the Centre to introduce the Jan Aushadhi scheme to procure medicines for Delhi government hospitals and dispensaries. The scheme aims to provide high-quality generic medicines at affordable prices through dedicated outlets known as Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
“We are purchasing medicines at low rates through a government-to-government agreement, leaving no room for corruption. Can the AAP do that?” the minister remarked.
Additionally, 10 mobile dental health vans will be launched in rural areas of Delhi to improve access to dental care. “They will start operating within four days,” Singh said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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BJP will stop Mohalla clinics because the healthcare mafia, the medicine mafia, the doctors want it. If India is not growing it is because of such selfish people. They want to exploit the common poor people to earn money.