Is Delhi Government Really Planning to Open 100 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs Every Month?

New Delhi, Aug 29 (NationPress) Committed to providing primary healthcare right at the doorstep, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Friday that the government has set an ambitious goal of launching approximately 100 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs each month.

During a review meeting on the construction status of new Arogya Mandirs, CM Gupta emphasized that the initiative aims to facilitate quicker treatment for patients and alleviate the burden on government hospitals.

Currently, there are 67 operational Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Delhi, along with forthcoming centres that will offer 12 categories of extensive healthcare services, which include mental health support and palliative care for the elderly.

Furthermore, these centres will provide in-house laboratory testing services, she noted.

Gupta announced that directives have been issued to appoint a variety of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nursing staff, pharmacists, auxiliary nurse midwives, laboratory technicians, TB management specialists (DOTS), data operators, and multi-purpose support personnel.

Every centre will be outfitted with necessary furniture, a well-stocked inventory of medications, state-of-the-art laboratories, and clean sanitation facilities.

In a strategic move, the Chief Minister highlighted that the government has decided to develop Ayushman Arogya Mandirs on larger land plots than the minimum required, enabling their use during emergencies.

In order to monitor the construction and opening of the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, CM Gupta convened a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat with senior officials from the Health Department and other relevant departments.

Post-meeting, she mentioned that although a plot size of 100 square yards suffices for an Arogya Mandir, she has tasked officials with locating larger government properties for this venture.

Gupta stressed that larger centres should feature spacious halls to accommodate beds during emergencies, along with adequate parking facilities.

She noted that her government is in the process of transforming old primary health centres into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs while simultaneously constructing new facilities on a grander scale.

Given the rapid pace of development, the government has set an objective of inaugurating nearly 100 centres every month.

Simultaneously, various departments are securing both medical and non-medical equipment, along with other essential supplies, to ensure seamless operations from the day of opening.

“We are prioritizing staff recruitment as well,” she added.

Expressing appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for backing the initiative, the Chief Minister shared that the Delhi government has already received Rs 2,400 crore from the Central government, ensuring financial support for the construction and operation of these centres.

She asserted that such modern primary healthcare systems are being established at the Arogya Mandirs, eliminating the need for citizens to visit hospitals for common or seasonal ailments.

She reiterated her government’s commitment to making routine healthcare easily accessible near residents’ homes, which will also contribute to reducing the patient load at hospitals.

Currently, the 67 operational Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Delhi, along with the upcoming new centres, provide 12 categories of comprehensive healthcare services, including mental health support and palliative care for the elderly.

The new Mandirs will also feature in-house laboratory testing capabilities.

Key services provided by the Mandirs encompass: maternity and childbirth care, neonatal and child healthcare, adolescent healthcare, family planning, prevention and treatment of common infectious diseases, identification and management of non-communicable diseases, eye and ENT care, oral healthcare, elderly care, end-of-life care, emergency medical services, and screening and primary treatment of mental health issues.