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NEW DELHI: For the smooth functioning of its ambitious ‘Mohalla Clinic’ project, the AAP government has decided to form a society to manage its day-to-day operations.

Officials said the society, to be headed by health minister Satyendar Jain, will be registered under the Societies Act and run as an autonomous body, which will be free to take financial and administrative decisions. The proposal will soon be brought before the cabinet for its approval.

With its numbers increasing, officials said a separate team was needed to handle the daily operations of these neighbourhood dispensaries. “A spike in the number of patients at mohalla clinics show the growing popularity of the scheme,” said an official, requesting anonymity.

“Since it is coming up as parallel health facility, the government felt the need for a dedicated team of officials and doctors to handle its routine operations. The society will be given a separate budget to ensure the clinics do not face shortage of medicines , equipment , staff and other facilities,” he added.

Citing an example, the official said there was a proposal to give ‘tablets’ to doctors at mohalla clinics to help them maintain proper record of patients. The proposal, however, has been stuck for almost six months. “Once the society takes over the operations, decisions to buy medicines and other consumables shall be taken immediately and procurement will be expedited,” he said.

Currently, around 203 mohalla clinics are functional in the capital while another 150 is expected to be opened within the next few days.

The Aam Aadmi Party government has set a target of opening 800 mohalla clinics by December this year. These clinics provide diagnostics and treatment of simple ailments to people at dispensaries near their localities. With growing number of patients, the government has also started double-shifts at select mohalla clinics.

