MCD dispensaries, health centers to get infra boost as Arogya Mandirs

The work is expected to project the much-needed resource infusion in the neglected local dispensaries and primary health centers under the municipality.

The Delhi government has approved the upgradation of 169 municipal dispensaries and Mother and Child Welfare (MCW) Centers under Ayushman Arogya Mandir scheme, officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), said.

The Delhi government, last week, granted approval to upgrade 169 municipal centers as Arogya Mandirs.

With this, the total number of such centres in the capital will cross 221. The work is expected to project the much-needed resource infusion in the local dispensaries and primary health centres under the municipality.

“Work had already begun for the upgradation of 39 sub-centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) already. Another 13 primary health centres (PHC) are also being upgraded as AAP-PHC,” official added.

Sub centres fall under the primary health centres that cater to a population of around 5,000-10,000 people and handles immunisation, mother, and child care related activities.

The upgraded centres will feature expanded infrastructure with up to five rooms for doctors, pharmacist, immunisation room for nurse ANM and computer rooms for dispensing. The Delhi government is providing ₹25 lakh per unit for adding infrastructure, ₹2 lakh per unit for furniture and other accessories and ₹12 lakh annually for purchase of medicines.

A comprehensive list of all municipal primary health centres has been sent to the health department and the units for upgradation are being cleared on a case to case basis.

Once upgraded, each upgraded Arogya Mandir unit will provide a minimum 14 tests and act as sample collection centres for more than 150 tests, said officials. “Samples will be connected and transported to outsourced laboratories. Earlier, the focus was on communicable diseases but now the centres will also take care of non communicable and lifestyle diseases. It will reduce the load on the tertiary healthcare facilities and hospitals,” official added.

Currently, the MCD runs around 90 MCW centres, 54 dispensaries, 16 maternity homes, 11 polyclinics, 31 primary health care centres among other units. Of 90 (MCW) centres, 81 will be upgraded while other units include dispensaries and sub centres.

In June, CM Rekha Gupta announced that 1,139 AAMs will be opened by March 2026 in the city, with at least 15 centres in each assembly constituency.