Plans afoot to upgrade primary health care

After the launch of low-cost Mohalla clinics in the national Capital by the AAP Government, the State Health Department is planning to upgrade existing primary health care centres into polyclinics by providing them with additional infrastructure. These polyclinics will offer four basic types of OPDs such as surgery, gynaecology, pediatrics and orthopedics. The ‘project of polyclinics’ is likely to be completed by the end of the next year.  

A senior Health Department official told The Pioneer that currently the project is at starting stage. “The existing primary health care centres in the City will be revamped to deal with more patients with better health care facilities.” For now, these primary units provide a few OPD services. “It will be compulsory for these polyclinics to offer all related diagnostic tests. Once mohalla clinics and polyclinics are in place, main hospitals will only handle admitted patients,” said the official. 

However, the major challenge for the Government is to get the staff and equipment, said the official. “Expanding the infrastructure is a good idea to deal with more patients. But, more efforts should be made to fill the gap between doctor to patient ratio,” said the official, adding, that the apparatus for diagnostic services at the existing hospitals have not been upgraded till now, which needs an overhaul too.

Meanwhile, hiring of doctors and paramedical staff has been increased for upcoming polyclinics and mohalla clinics. Recently, the Government’s health department has constituted 19 project teams to monitor the ongoing and upcoming health care projects which are being taken up by the Delhi Government. 

The teams comprise of medical superintendents and senior doctors who all will guide the Health Department on how to start on with the new projects. The teams will closely monitor the existing projects too.