A Mohalla Clinic model is being showcased live at the 26^th Perfect Health Mela

100 Mohalla Clinics opened in Delhi yesterday. Now there are more than 300 Mohalla Clinics operating in Delhi since the first Mohalla Clinic was opened in 2015.

The concept of Mohalla Clinic was started by the Delhi Government to provide primary healthcare to all. As part of a four-tier health care delivery system, these clinics have been conceptualized as the first point of contact for the public, which provide basic quality primary health care services including medicines, diagnostics and consultation free of cost. This also reduces the load on secondary and tertiary hospitals.

As a low-cost module, the Mohalla Clinic is an example of “affordable” innovation in health care delivery. It has been effective in making health care accessible to the community at their doorstep and also reducing the financial burden on low-income families in particular.

Universal health coverage is the need of the hour.  This means healthcare that is affordable, adequate, accessible, available, appropriate and accountable. Mohalla Clinic is a right step towards universal health coverage and to reduce the wide gap in the availability of healthcare service in the country.

A Mohalla Clinic is run in portacabins (prefabricated structures) comprising of 2-3 rooms. One room is used by the doctor and medical examination, while the other room houses a laboratory (more than 200 tests) and is used for dispensing medicine (around 108 medicines) and has a waiting seat for the next patient. If there is a third room, it can used as waiting room for patients or the open space with a covered roof is used as waiting area. The clinic has a token vending machine for patients and maintains computer-based record for each patient; tablets/software programs for prescription writing/data compilation and technology-based tablets are used for conducting a number of lab tests. The clinic is open for 4-6 hours six days a week excluding public holidays. The clinic is staffed with a doctor, auxiliary nurse midwife, a pharmacist and support staff. Weekly specialist services are available (J Family Med Prim Care. 2017 Jan-Mar;6(1):1-10)

The Directorate General of Health Services, Govt. of NCT of Delhi is participating in the 26^th Perfect Health Mela being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. A Mohalla Clinic model is being showcased live at the Mela.

 Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA