Delhi health dept scours space for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs | Latest News Delhi

New Delhi

With the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) set to be implemented in the Capital over the next two weeks, health department officials said they were directed to look for spaces to set up Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to provide health care services to the public.

“We have been recently given directions by the health minister to look into the work for the operations of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Currently, it is in the preliminary stage. As of now, we are looking into the data to see how many Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics can be converted into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs,” a health department official said on the condition of anonymity.

Ayushman Arogya Mandirs facilitate free medical consultations, medicines and diagnostic services.

A second official, not wishing to be identified, said all 11 district magistrates were asked to identify government-owned spaces in their respective jurisdictions for opening the Arogya Mandirs.

“The government wants to close mohalla clinics running on private rented properties. Now, the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs that will be soon opening in Delhi will be running on government-owned properties so that there is transparency in the delivery of health care services and community health centres work effectively to ensure that people get basic health services close to their localities. The DMs will submit details of government-owned properties in a couple of weeks,” the official said.

PM-ABHIM is a central government scheme that aims to strengthen the public health structure to combat pandemics, outbreaks, and disasters. The scheme aims to strengthen health care at all levels, including primary, secondary, and tertiary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched PM-ABHIM on October 25, 2021. The mission targets to build an IT-enabled disease surveillance system by developing a network of surveillance laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels in metropolitan areas.

The second official said that while the government was making concerted efforts to shut mohalla clinics on private properties, it will make sure that there is no discontinuity of health care services for the people in the Capital. Accordingly, health care facilities will be opened in government properties so that basic healthcare services are available to people even in underserved areas, the official said.

Initially named Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centers, they were renamed Ayushman Arogya Mandir, the Union health ministry rebranded them as Ayushman Arogya Mandir in 2024. Across the country, 173,881 such centres have been operationalised, as of July 2024.