NEW DELHI: The Centre’s Urban Aarogya Mandirs, which is set to replace Mohalla Clinics in the capital, would comprise a staff of salaried medical professionals including doctors employed on a contractual basis.
Unlike the previous AAP government’s model where doctors were paid on a per-patient basis, Arogya Mandirs will hire healthcare professionals on a contractual basis with fixed pay scales similar to those under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), said officials privy to the development.
Officials said the new health centres will not recruit from existing hospitals, nor will they follow the ‘daily-wage model’ previously in place. Instead, dedicated recruitment will be held for these positions.
Work has already begun for establishing 80 Arogya Mandirs in the first phase. These centres aim to provide sustainable and high-quality diagnostic and treatment services.
Existing mohalla clinics operating in rented accommodations or unsuitable locations, like in vicinity of garbage sites, will be shut down and relocated to permanent government facilities such as those managed by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board.
The upcoming Arogya Mandirs will also be developed solely on government lands, such as primary health centre plots.
In a parallel initiative, the distribution of Ayushman Bharat health cards for senior citizens will commence soon, officials added. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s online portal for applications will go live on April 25.
“For those preferring offline assistance, ASHA workers will conduct door-to-door visits to help elderly citizens complete applications and deliver the cards directly to their homes. Distribution is scheduled to begin on April 28. If necessary, hospitals will also facilitate card delivery,” officials said.
They emphasised that there will be no need for elderly citizens to travel or make arrangements to receive the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.