The AAP government has decided to convert the dispensaries in the national capital to mohalla clinics or polyclinics, Health Minister Satyendra Jain said today.
The city has around 160 dispensaries, which formed the first rung of primary health care until the Arvind Kejriwal launched the mohalla clinic project.
Mohalla clinics are part of a three-tier health care system envisaged by this government. Polyclinics and hospitals are the two other layers.
"A few dispensaries will be converted to mohalla clinics while a few will upgraded to polyclinics or hospitals," Jain told PTI.
There are about 25 functional polyclinics at this point and the government plans to take it up to 150.
Mohalla clinics number around 155 currently, while work is afoot to launch about 900 more by March next year.
Since the three-tier project was launched, there was confusion on the future of dispensaries, where government- appointed doctors are employed and diagnostic equipment are also procured and operated by government staff.
In the case of mohalla clinics, private doctors are appointed as consultants and their wages are tied to the number of patients they attend to.
For tests, private laboratories have been empanelled to conduct a range of diagnostic tests free of cost. The government compensates them for that.
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