At Delhi’s mohalla clinics, staff complain of their bad state but patients maintain faith in AAP

“I have already seen these patients. One of them complains of stomach ache.. another dizziness.. cold also,” the doctor says.

A round-faced bulky spectacled man with an already receded hairline, the doctor isn’t happy at all. “I have prescribed medicine to them but most of it isn’t available. Out of the 160 essential medicines, we have only 60,” he says.

“For example, we have been short of Telma 40 and Metformin. The patients take whatever we give them and go home.”

The mohalla clinics have been the flagship scheme of the Aam Aadmi Party, with more than 500 such clinics running across the capital city.

The first clinic was set up by the AAP government in Peeragarhi, Shakurbasti constituency, on July 19, 2015. The constituency had sent Satyendar Jain, the AAP government’s first Health Minister before he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2022, to the Delhi Assembly in the last three elections. In the 2020 polls, Jain won the seat with 51,165 votes and defeated BJP’s S C Vats who got 43,573 votes. The constituency has 1.47 lakh people registered in the electors’ list including 75,620 male voters, 71,792 female voters and 5 third-gender voters.

Back at the JJ colony clinic, the doctor says, “Shuruat badhiya hui thi par ab cheezein gadbad ho gayi hai (The beginning (of these clinics) was excellent but now things are not in place anymore).”

“I know what happened. The never-ending fight between the L-G (Lieutenant Governor) and CM ruined this scheme… It is only because of these fights that the mohalla clinics are in such bad shape… there is no medicine and whatever medicine is given to us also is never sent on time”.

He says that the situation became “especially difficult after (the then CM) Kejriwal and Jain were sent to jail”.

The doctor also talks about another “burden” for the staff at these clinics. “There is a lot of unnecessary paperwork for the staff. The AAP government is very jittery after the allegations of corruption made by L-G last year. “They (the staff) have to update all the data in the tablet first, then manually in the register, and also provide the patients with prescription papers. It makes no sense,” he complains. “It’s sad that Mohalla Clinics was the favourite project of the AAP government but they failed even to take care of the people working in these clinics”.

The Multi-Task Worker talks about the challenges faced by their women patients especially. “The pregnant women have no facilities in our clinic… it’s sad,” she says.

The doctor and the two other staff members are critical of the AAP for a different reason though. “Their only purpose seems to lure the voters through such schemes like free bus rides for women, Mahila Samman Yojana and distribution of free medicine. “They (AAP) know this will ensure they remain in power,” the Multi-Task Worker says. The doctor and the nurse agreed.

“Why do they have to make the bus rides free, why can’t they reduce the ticket price? They could instead have provided better facilities at the mohalla clinics. They could have included antenatal care,” she continues.

Who should form the next government in Delhi? Surprisingly, all three officials of the Clinic wish Kejriwal to be the Chief Minister while they insist they support (Narendra) Modi to remain the Prime Minister.

“That will be good for Delhi. The BJP does not have a face to represent. We don’t know who will be the chief minister,” says the nursing staff.

A patient, who later identified himself as Lal Yadav, a cleaner at a transport company nearby, joins the conversation. “How can AAP work? BJP government put Kejriwal and Jain behind bars… one was Chief Minister, another Health Minister… who will manage things,” he says in a complaining tone.

“It is unfair to blame them when BJP stopped them from doing their work”. Yadav, 50, lives across the road from the Clinic. He has suffered from diabetes for the last ten years and is a regular at the clinic.

He says that for the last six months, he has not been able to get his medicines at the clinic. “I have to go to Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital in Pitampura to get my tests done,” he says. “The problem is that L-G and AAP are fighting and everything suffers”.

Outside, the AAP seems to have maintained its hold on the electorate in the JJ colony. The alleged corruption charges against Kejriwal and Jain like the alleged excise policy scam or the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ controversy don’t seem to have made a dent in AAP’s support base.

“Corruption to sab karte hain par kejriwal free me dawai deta hai (Everybody is involved in corruption but Kejriwal gives us free medicine also,” Yadav explains.

He says he wishes that the next AAP government will build them homes here. “I have been living in this Jhuggi for more than 20 years now. Both the BJP government and AAP government gave the slogan “Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makaan” (A house will replace a jhuggi) but instead, they have only demolished jhuggis and not built houses here”.

Ravindra Jadhav, 40, another JJ colony resident says several residents like him have sent their families back to their ancestral home in Bihar because they can’t afford to keep their families in Delhi. “My salary is Rs 12,000. How can I manage anything?” he asks. “Kejriwal has done a lot for us. He gave us free medicine, free water and free electricity, free toilets and Mahila Samman Yojna,” he says.

He says that many among his neighbours, however, have registered their wives for this new scheme – Mahila Samman Yojana. “If AAP comes back to power, this scheme will help people like me a lot. Every woman will get Rs 2,100 monthly,” he says. He also insists that he simultaneously supports Kejriwal and Modi. “Modi ji apni jagah theek hain or Kejriwal ji apni jagah,” he says.

This simultaneous admiration for Kejriwal and Modi, which transcends party politics and electoral rivalry, is a common thread running across most of the jhuggies in Shakur Basti.

Four kilometres away, the mohalla clinic in the bustling Rani Bagh market is a different scene. This clinic caters to the residential blocks of Rani Bagh.

Manjeet Kaur, a 60-year-old housewife, is standing in a queue. “There is no doubt that Kejriwal has done a lot. I can get any bus ride for free. We don’t have to pay electricity bills. We get free medicine also,” she says. “But they (AAP) must work on cleanliness now.”

Kaur had come to fetch Telma 20 for her high blood pressure but didn’t find it. “At least I got medicine for my granddaughter. She has had a cold,” Kaur says.

Manju Sharma, 62, has come to the clinic for medicine for a cold. She says she has always voted for Kejriwal in assembly elections. “CM toh ye hi theek hai. Ye janta ko jaante hain. Wo pradhan mantri hi theek hai kyuki BJP kuch muft nahi de rahi hai. (Kejriwal) is good as CM. He knows the people here. (Modi) is good as PM because BJP doesn’t give anything free),” he says. Sharma says she has two grown-up sons. “The elder works in a bank. The youngest is in New Zealand. He works there,” she says.

While the clinic near Ranibagh was brimming with patients, the mohalla clinic in Peeragarhi – a mere seven kilometres away – is locked as the only two staff members – a nurse and pharmacist – leave for home for the day. It is around 1 PM. Outside the clinic, three women and a man are sitting on chairs, soaking in the winter sun.

The population of this jhuggi mostly comprises migrants from Punjab, who came here after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The people here have several complaints, especially regarding the defunct drainage system.

“The drainage is under MCD and they are not doing anything,” says Mukesh, 35. He runs a fast food stall in the area. “This entire area is always flooded with sewage water. It is now entering inside homes too”.

Despite complaints against the government, they say AAP has fared well. “Ek cheez ki wajah se hum issue nahi banayenge. Kaam toh achha kar hi rahey hain vo,” (We will not make an issue out of one thing. They are doing good work,” Mukesh says.