Medicines, path tests, yoga! all for free: Ayushman Arogya Mandirs debut in Delhi with upgraded facilities and broader services
NEW DELHI: The newly established Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) in Delhi present a new face of urban healthcare. Bright colours, modern furniture, well-stocked medicine shelves, advanced laboratories and spotless washrooms now greet the ailing, marking a substantial upgrade from their previous incarnations as polyclinics, dispensaries and the Aam Aadmi Party govt's mohalla clinic.
On Tuesday, chief minister Rekha Gupta will inaugurate an AAM at Tis Hazari, one of the 33 to be launched on the day. Six centres will be opened by the state ministers in their constituencies, while BJP MPs and other political figures will inaugurate the rest. AAMs aim to deliver preventive, promotive and curative health services.
The inauguration schedule on Tuesday includes health minister Pankaj Kumar Singh at Old Barat Ghar, Vikas Nagar, PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma at Babar Road, environment minister Sardar Manjinder Singh Sirsa at DGD Chowkhandi, home and education minister Ashish Sood at Janakpuri, social welfare minister Ravinder Singh (Indraj) at Bawana, and culture minister Kapil Mishra at Khajoori Khas.
A preliminary visit to some AAMs reveals an impressive transformation. Fresh paint, updated furniture, new signage, and improved patient seating arrangements enhance the ambience. Cooling solutions like fans and coolers address the summer heat, and upgraded drinking water and sanitation facilities reflect the govt's commitment to hygiene and comfort.
Officials confirmed that these centres adhere to the Indian Public Health Standards, 2022, which stipulate requirements for infrastructure, staffing, medical supplies, diagnostic tools and essential health services.
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"We hope these improvements are maintained beyond the inauguration," remarked a Rohini resident, observing the upgraded Sector 18 AAM.
Manoj and Shikha Gupta lauded the cleanliness, paintwork, and service navigation signage but voiced concern at the reduced operating hours — now from 8am to 12:30pm, two hours shorter than before. Healthcare staff explained that the shortened hours were only for the period of renovations and there were plans to extend them once the centres were fully operational.
At the Tis Hazari AAM, officials highlighted services such as cervical cancer screening, maternal care and childhood vaccinations under the national immunisation programme for children aged 0 to 16 years. The centre will dispense 105 essential medicines. Operating hours at this facility will be 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Moreover, the centre offers 14 in-house lab tests — among them haemoglobin, blood sugar, malaria, dengue and typhoid card tests — alongside 79 outsourced tests like liver function test, kidney function test, lipid profile, thalassemia and thyroid screenings, all free of charge.
Additionally, bi-weekly yoga sessions on Monday and Thursday will promote holistic well-being.
Kishan Lal, a 42-year-old shop worker near the Shalimar Bagh AAM, acknowledged the aesthetic improvements but remained cautious about the sustained quality of medical services. "I hope the new govt maintains these standards," he said.
Distinct from the former mohalla clinics, AAMs are equipped with emergency oxygen facilities and private spaces for breastfeeding mothers. They will also facilitate the issue of Ayushman cards for citizens aged 70 and above. Healthcare personnel at these facilities comprise a physician, nursing staff, pharmaceutical specialist, auxiliary nursing midwives, laboratory technician, tuberculosis management specialist (DOTS), computer data operator and a multi-purpose support worker.
The previous mohalla clinics, launched in Oct 2015 by the CM Arvind Kejriwal, primarily catered to common ailments, offering accessible, free healthcare and medicines.
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