Karnataka's ‘Namma Clinics’ not kept open till 8 pm

BENGALURU: Almost a month after Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao’s direction to make 100 ‘Namma Clinics operational till 8 pm, it has not been enforced on the ground yet.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP’s) Chief Health Office AS Balasundar, said that they have not yet received any official communication from the state government to keep 100 clinics operational till 8 pm. Though he ensured preparedness for the same, he also highlighted that the current shortage of manpower in the healthcare system will make it difficult for them to extend this system across all 243 ‘Namma Clinics' in the city.

“Currently the ‘Namma Clinics’ function between 9 am and 4 pm and to make all 243 clinics in the city functional till 8 pm we will need double the manpower of what is currently present,” Balasundar said.

BBMP Special Commissioner (health) Dr KV Thrilok Chandra also said that no communication has been made from the government’s end to enforce the new timings yet. With regard to the shortage of human resources, he said that it can only be ascertained once discussions are made over implementing the new timings on the ground.  

The health minister’s decision came up after a controversy that sparked after his visit to the AAP-led government’s ‘Mohalla Clinics’ in Delhi on August 4. He had made an announcement on extending the timings of ‘Namma Clinics’ the next day. He had also called the ‘Mohalla Clinics’ as ‘overhyped’. ‘Namma Clinics’ were inspired by the ‘Mohalla Clinics’ which opened in 2015-16. During his aanouncement, Rao had explained that he recommended changing timings from 12 noon till 8 pm allowing patients to visit after completing their chores.

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