Govt tweaks mobile van project, docs will now go to dispensaries

The AAP-led Delhi government has earmarked Rs 6,729 crore for the health sector in the 2018-19 budget. Under this, Rs 100 crore is for the ‘health insurance for all’ scheme, while Rs 403 crore is for setting up mohalla and polyclinics in the capital.

The total budget allocated for the project is around Rs 15 crore. (File)

The Delhi government’s plan to purchase 100 mobile vans to provide eye and ear services has been tweaked due to a delay in its implementation. The project, which was approved in July 2017, initially suggested that these vans will go to different locations in Delhi and screen people with vision and hearing impairment issues.

A meeting was held in August to monitor work done on this project. Under the new plan, officials in the health department said specialists will be deputed to 100 dispensaries across the capital to screen patients. They added that the department will approach NGOs and private firms for manpower.

“Purchasing mobile vans was taking too long. Rather than wasting time and money on getting these vans, it has been decided that we will provide the services at 100 dispensaries. We are in the process of hiring an NGO that will provide us the manpower,” said a senior official from the health department.

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The total budget allocated for the project is around Rs 15 crore. Apart from a regular check-up, services such as vision correction will also be offered at the dispensaries. So far, only government hospitals and a few polyclinics have eye-care facilities. “We will also provide spectacles and hearing-aids for free. The aim is to start the services at the earliest,” added the official.

The AAP-led Delhi government has earmarked Rs 6,729 crore for the health sector in the 2018-19 budget. Under this, Rs 100 crore is for the ‘health insurance for all’ scheme, while Rs 403 crore is for setting up mohalla and polyclinics in the capital. This year, the Delhi Cabinet also approved remodelling of 94 government dispensaries into polyclinics at a cost of Rs 168 crore. Polyclinics operate as specialist out-patient departments, where medicine, gynaecology and paediatrics specialists are available every day, while orthopaedics, eye and ENT specialists are available on certain days of the week.

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Arvind Kejriwal

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