Copyright thehindu
Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president Saurabh Bharadwaj stated on Sunday that the closure of around 200 Mohalla Clinics in Delhi has affected nearly 800 livelihoods. The AAP’s flagship scheme, Mohalla Clinics, has been rebranded by the BJP government as Urban-Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (U-AAMs). While 1,139 U-AAMs are set to be established over the next year, the government has not clarified how many of these will be Mohalla Clinics. Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh had said that at least 250 clinics would be shut. In over 60 U-AAMs that have been established so far, new staff have been appointed, according to the Mohalla Clinic Staff Association. Mr. Bharadwaj alleged that an order for the closure of 31 clinics was issued earlier on September 1 this year. On Friday, over 170 more had “hastily” received such notices, he claimed. The Delhi government has not responded to these allegations. Stating that each clinic employs four staff members – a doctor who receives ₹40 per patient, a pharmacist who earns ₹12 per patient, a nurse who is paid ₹10 per sample, and a multi-task worker who receives ₹8 per patient, the AAP leader said that their “modest income supports their families”. In the past, the BJP government has maintained that U-AAMs are an effective alternative to Mohalla Clinics, with more advanced features such as in-house testing and prenatal check-ups. While some Mohalla Clinics were rebranded, the government has been scouting for new locations for the remaining ones, stating that the existing spaces are either rented properties or insufficient. Concerned over job security amid the rebranding of Mohalla Clinics, the staff have been protesting and meeting with government officials, demanding their absorption into U-AAMs.
