Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday inaugurated Ayushman Arogya Mandirs at Tis Hazari and the Delhi Secretariat and said this initiative aligns with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and marks a major step toward transformative changes in the healthcare sector.

On this occasion, the Delhi Government also launched 33 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and 17 Jan AushadhiKendras across the capital.

As part of the Ayushman Bharat Mission, the Delhi Government plans to establish 1139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across the capital, with 15 centers in every assembly constituency offering free basic healthcare services.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the Government is working with full dedication under the motto “Swasth Delhi, Sashakt Delhi” to ensure the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme reach every citizen.

In her address, Rekha Gupta said these centres bring a new ray of hope for Delhi’s citizens. They will strengthen primary healthcare and ensure access to quality medical services for all.

The Government is committed to delivering affordable and timely healthcare to every resident, working 24x7 to achieve this mission.

She pointed out that these new health centers are far more advanced than the Mohalla Clinics initiated by the previous Government. While Mohalla Clinics only offered basic OPD services, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will provide comprehensive healthcare under 12 service packages, including vaccinations for pregnant women, antenatal and postnatal care, mental health services, elderly care and support for national health programs like TB elimination, leprosy eradication and non-communicable disease management. In-house laboratory testing will also be available at these centers.

Rekha Gupta criticised the previous government’s Mohalla Clinic model, saying it promoted corruption rather than public health. She said many clinics were built on roadside drains, staffed by untrained personnel, and relied on outsourced testing which led to financial misappropriation. She also highlighted issues like excessive rents and clinics becoming hotspots for antisocial activities.

She further added, “In contrast the central government had sanctioned Rs 2,400 crore in health grants for Delhi, which went unused for the past five years. The current Government has now started utilising that fund to build 1139 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.”

The Chief Minister assured that these centers would offer permanent, well-equipped infrastructure as compared to the temporary and limited Mohalla Clinics. They will be staffed with qualified doctors, nurses, and lab technicians, and will provide preventive healthcare, family planning services, vaccinations, and essential medicines.

She stated that wherever Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are opened, Mohalla Clinics will be closed, as people now deserve a better and more reliable healthcare system. She reaffirmed the Government’s goal of ensuring   three hospital beds per, 1000 citizens in Delhi and promised that no Delhiite would be denied treatment due to lack of access.

Discussing the launch of Jan Aushadhi Kendras, the Chief Minister revealed that the previous Government had deliberately avoided opening such centers as they were linked to the “Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana.”

The new Government has decided to establish these centers in all Government hospitals, and 17 centres were inaugurated today in 17 hospitals.

These Kendras will operate under the PMBJP and offer affordable, quality medicines, medical equipment, and surgical items at prices 50 per cent to 80 per cent lower than market rates. This initiative not only offers financial relief to patients but also creates employment opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Referring to the historic significance of Tis Hazari, the Chief Minister  said it symbolises the fight for justice, and she urged lawyers to help keep Delhi clean. She specifically called for an end to the practice of putting posters in and around court complexes and encouraged the legal fraternity to take the lead in maintaining cleanliness.

Rekha Gupta praised the Health Department team for completing 33 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs within just 100 days. She said that thesecentersare clean, well-structured, and patient-friendly.

Highlighting the scheme’s key features, she shared that under the Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana and the ‘Vaya Vandana Yojana’, eligible beneficiaries are entitled to treatment worth up to Rs 10 lakh in empanelled hospitals.

She informed that currently 83 hospitals in Delhi are registered under these schemes, including 59 private and 24 Government hospitals.

If treatment is not available in Delhi, beneficiaries may also access empanelled hospitals elsewhere in India.