Former UN secy general Ban Ki-Moon praises Delhi’s mohalla clinics

The South Korean diplomat was all praise for the systematic way in which primary healthcare services were being provided to the city’s poor.

Former secretary-general of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon visited the Delhi government-run mohalla clinics and polyclinics on Friday and was all praise for the systematic way in which primary healthcare services were provided to the city’s poor.

Former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland , United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-Moon and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visit a mohalla clinic at Paschim Vihar in New Delhi on Friday.(Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland accompanied Ki-Moon during his visit as part of a team of The Elders, a global organisation founded by Nobel Laureate Nelson Mandela that works for peace, justice and human rights.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and health minister Satyendar Jain accompanied the delegation that visited city’s first mohalla clinic in Peeragarhi and a polyclinic in Paschim Vihar.

The former UN secretary general said he was deeply touched and impressed with the clinics.

“Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has great vision to make sure that primary healthcare is available to the poor and the vulnerable people. Mohalla clinics and polyclinics are the examples of what government’s and politicians should do for the people. I deeply appreciate the chief minister and the health minister,” he said.

“… I have travelled to many, many places. What I have seen today, the clinics are much systemic, well-organised and well kept. I am very impressed…”

Brundtland, who has also served as the director general of the World Health Organisation, said she witnessed “impressive work” being done at the mohalla clinic and the polyclinic.

“In Delhi, with mohalla clinics and plans to develop them, you are approaching what needs to be done for all people, for every Indian and everyone in every country. So, we are happy to see what is being done here in Delhi and what the government has been planning and implementing on the behalf of the people of this region. It needs to be done all over India,” she said.

The first mohalla clinic started in Peeragarhi in 2015, and so far Delhi is running 188 of them.

“It is a moment of immense pride for us that such leading global personalities have come down to Delhi to witness the revolution being carried out in the health sector,” said Kejriwal.