New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the people from well-to-do families also prefer mohalla clinics over private hospitals for their treatment.
“Since effective treatment is being provided at mohalla clinics, even affluent individuals who usually visit expensive private hospitals are now seeking treatment at mohalla clinics. Rich people living in Greater Kailash are also taking advantage of mohalla clinics,” Kejriwal said.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated five mohalla clinics in the Keshopur Vegetable Market, Shahbad Dairy, Govindpuri, and Kalkaji Market.
With the opening of these clinics, the number of mohalla clinics has now increased to 533 in Delhi.
“Exclusive mohalla clinics for women are being opened where all the staff and doctors will be female. mohalla clinics will be opened in Gazipur, Murga Mandi, and Okhla Mandi,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that several big conspiracies were plotted against the program in Delhi but they did not succeed.
He said that in the last one year, more than two crore people have received treatment in mohalla clinics.
Kejriwal said that in Punjab they have opened 660 mohalla clinics in only one and half years of their rule.
“We started building mohalla clinics in 2015-16 with the aim to provide treatment for minor illnesses such as fever, cough, common cold etc. This would prevent long queues,” he said.
He said that mohalla clinics have received worldwide recognition and praise.
“People from all around the world come here to study the model. Sweden's former prime minister as well as the United Nations General Assembly Secretary General have visited these mohalla clinics,” the Chief Minister said.
Delhi government has said that in 2022-23 over two crore patients have received treatments in these mohalla clinics while in 2021-22, approximately 1.82 crore patients have sought treatment and 1.50 crore patients were treated in the 2020-21.
“There are 91 types of free tests being done in mohalla clinics,” the Chief Minister said.