Mohalla Clinics

Mohalla Clinics (also known as Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics or AAMC) are primary health centers located in New Delhi, India. These clinics provide essential health services, including medicines, diagnostics, and consultations, free of cost. The term "Mohalla" in Hindi refers to a neighborhood or community. The clinics aim to serve as the first point of contact for the population, offering timely services and reducing the need for referrals to higher-level health facilities.

The initiative was first introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party government in October 2015. Since then, over 450 clinics have been established across the city, benefiting more than 16.24 million residents. The government had set a target of setting up 1000 clinics before the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly Elections. This initiative is particularly significant in India, where a large percentage of the population pays for healthcare out of pocket, and only a small percentage has health insurance coverage.

The Mohalla Clinics have been praised for revolutionizing healthcare delivery in Delhi and providing affordable healthcare at the doorstep of the people. They have played a crucial role in improving access to primary healthcare services and reducing the burden on secondary and tertiary health facilities.

References:

- Sharma, Dinesh C. "Delhi looks to expand community clinic initiative.

" The Lancet 388.10062 (2016): 2855.

- Khanna, Pretika. "Mohalla clinic: AAP offers affordable healthcare model at doorstep.

" livemint.com/. Retrieved May 11, 2017.

- Upadhyay, Aishwarya. "Mohalla Clinics Have Revolutionized The Delivery Of Healthcare In Delhi.

" Experts Laud Delhi's 450 Mohalla Clinics. ndtv.com. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

- "Mohalla clinics served 16.24 million people in four years: Delhi health minister.

" Hindustan Times. Retrieved September 6, 2019.

- Chatterjee, Pritha. "'Unbelievable' to reality: CM Arvind Kejriwal opens city's first 'mohalla clinic'.

" The Indian Express. Retrieved July 20, 2015.

- World Health Organization. "Out-of-pocket expenditure as percentage of current health expenditure.

" Retrieved from apps.who.int.

- Mehra, Puja. "Only 17% have health insurance cover.

" The Hindu. Retrieved from thehindu.com.