Delhi govt to roll out 70 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs by May: Health official

New Delhi: The Delhi government is preparing to launch 70 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAYs) across the national capital, one in each assembly constituency beginning May, an official said Saturday. A senior Health Department official told PTI that the AAYs would be developed by upgrading existing Primary Health Centres (PHCs), dispensaries and mohalla clinics.

He said that the work to implement these is already in progress. In around 10 to 15 constituencies, the process is at the final stage as suitable locations are being identified.

"This is a long-term initiative, so we are avoiding temporary fixes. Everything is being done in a planned and sustainable manner," the official added.

"In the first phase, 70 AAYs will be launched, one in each assembly constituency beginning May," he said.

Backed by the funding from the central government of Rs 2,400 crore, the project includes the creation of a total of 1,139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs which the Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had announced earlier.

The initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) and aims to strengthen the city's primary healthcare network.

New centres will be built upon the existing services of mohalla clinics and are expected to offer general outpatient care, and maternal and child healthcare services, including vaccination and screening for non-communicable diseases like hypertension, the official said.

Ayurvedic treatments will be made available, he said.

The official highlighted that over 1.75 lakh families have been enrolled to date under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme which was implemented on April 5.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which returned to power in Delhi in February after more than 26 years, approved the scheme at its first cabinet meeting held shortly after the chief minister and six of her ministers took the oath of office on February 20.