Delhi Budget 2022 / Appearance of government hospitals will change, now Mohalla clinics will open in schools too

The Delhi government will work on its re-modeling in the direction of changing the picture of government hospitals in the capital. Along with this, now mohalla clinics will also start in schools. Presenting the budget, Finance Minister Manish Sisodia said that Rs 9769 crore has been allocated to the health sector, which is 13 percent of the total budget.

This includes a revenue budget of Rs 7522 crore and a capital budget of Rs 2247 crore. An amount of Rs 5567 crore has been earmarked for the implementation of various schemes, programs and projects in the health sector. The health budget in the financial year 2021-22 was Rs 9934 crore.

Sisodia said that the Aam Aadmi Party government has started the work of remodeling 15 hospitals in the capital. Apart from this, a proposal for four new hospitals is also being prepared. After the construction of new hospitals and the completion of remodeling, the number of beds of hospitals

The total capacity will increase by more than 16 thousand. At present, there is a provision of 13844 beds in the hospitals of Delhi. A proposal has been made to spend Rs 1900 crore on hospitals in the budget. The Delhi government has also set a target of starting 1000 more Mohalla Clinics in the budget. In the coming financial year, the government can spend Rs 475 crore for this. Presently 520 Mohalla Clinics are operational. In the coming days, Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics will be started for children in schools also.

At present, these clinics are running in 20 schools as a pilot project. One psychiatrist each is also being posted here so that children can be saved from mental confusion and depression. Children will also be examined every six months. Last year, the Delhi government had announced to start a special Mahila Mohalla Clinic, which is being worked on.

Yoga schools will open door-to-door

The Delhi government has also started an exercise to reach yoga to every family of the capital. In 'Aam Aadmi Yogashala' 450 yoga teachers trained by the University of Pharmacological Research, Government of Delhi are teaching yoga to more than 15 thousand people daily according to their convenience and time. The Kejriwal government has made a provision to keep this scheme even further and spend Rs 15 crore on it.

Aam Aadmi Yogashala will be expanded by spending Rs 15 crore

• For the second time in a row, in the budget, the government claimed to hand over health cards in every hand.
• 9934 crores were proposed in the health budget in the financial year 2021-22.

Special in budget

• Delhi Government has started Aam Aadmi School Clinics in schools. At present these are opened in 20 schools on a pilot basis and every child is thoroughly examined by qualified doctors and nurses every six months.
• Rs 1900 crore is proposed for construction of 4 new hospitals and remodeling of 15 existing government hospitals. After the completion of these projects, the bed capacity will increase by 16,000.
• 475 crore is proposed in the budget of 2022-23 to upgrade the existing dispensaries and increase the number of Aam Aadmi Mohalla clinics to one thousand.
• Since the inception of Mohalla Clinics in Delhi, 5.49 crore patients have availed medical services.
• 50 crore proposed for Delhi Arogya Kosh Yojana.
• Rs 160 crore is proposed for Hospital Information Management System and Health Card Scheme.
• A provision of Rs 15 crore for Aam Aadmi Yogashala under Center for Meditation and Yoga Science.

Every hand will get a health card, trouble will go away

The government has claimed to hand over health cards to the people of Delhi for the second consecutive year in the budget. 160 crore was proposed to be spent for this scheme. Last year also, the Finance Minister had announced to provide health cards by August 2021. Under this scheme, every citizen will be given a health card. A free helpline will also be started for these health card holders, by calling on which any health card holder should get treatment for any disease and what should be done? etc. will be able to get information. Along with this, QR code based card will be helpful in getting information of family members through Hospital Information Management System.

Construction of flyover, underpass and subway will get rid of jam

The construction of flyovers, underpasses and sub-ways will relieve vehicular traffic on the roads. 11,000 hotspots have been set up to give free access to the internet with the help of Wi-Fi in travel as well. In the budget of the year 2022-2023, the roads of Delhi will be better in terms of the convenience and safety of the passengers. Free Wi-Fi on the roads is expected to accelerate the pace of life.

The Ashram Underpass has been constructed to further strengthen the infrastructure on the roads. By May, the second underpass at Pragati Maidan will also be ready. Sisodia said that the DND flyover will be extended to Ashram in Delhi with five bridges, two underpasses, one foot sub-way. Under this, it will help in decongesting Trinagar, Inderlok, Karmapura, Rampura, Nangloi, Basai Darapur, Kondli and Ashram Chowk. An outlay of Rs 114 crore has been proposed on these projects in the year 2022-2023.

Flyover including elevated corridor is being constructed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation at Brijpuri Junction on Karawal Nagar, Ghonda and Mangal Pandey Marg. An outlay of Rs 100 crore is proposed for this. Hotspots installed for free Wi-Fi facility are providing an opportunity to 4.1 lakh people every day to use internet services even in the run-of-the-mill life.

60 thousand jobs from food hub center and night life culture

The government will promote traders in the food and beverage sector in Delhi. Major food hubs centers will be identified. A food truck policy will be introduced. These food trucks will operate from 8 pm to 2 pm. That is, night life culture will be promoted. This will increase the night economy of Delhi and create more than 60 thousand employment opportunities.

Free surgery test-treatment facility will continue to be available

The Delhi government has continued the free scheme related to free treatment, surgery and radiological examination under the Arogya Kosh in the capital. A budget of Rs 50 crore has been proposed for these schemes. Along with this, the government has also continued the angel scheme. Under this scheme, free treatment is being given to the injured in road accident, burnt in fire or acid in any private hospital in Delhi. Between April and December 2021, 2804 people have got cashless treatment under this scheme. At the same time, 71559 patients have got tested at private centers.

Better in education but no outcome in health services

The Delhi government's emphasis is on both health and education, it is certainly commendable, but the results of education that we are seeing are not visible in the health sector. Like education in general and school level in particular has brought good results but it is not so in the case of health. The Delhi government built three big hospitals in the last 3 years at Dwarka, Burari and Ambedkar Nagar, but none of them are functional except to be used as COVID care centres. Further steps were taken to develop public-private partnerships, but to no avail. So opening four new hospitals is a long way off. The fact is that the management of government hospitals has been a matter of concern. Its experience has also been found in the first and second wave of Corona. The government needs to introspect and develop new centers either in autonomous mode or in partnership with the private sector. The government needs to implement innovative ideas to run such tertiary care hospitals and involve the private sector from the very beginning. Empathy and accountability are two key factors that are difficult to find in government hospitals and unless we are able to address this, government hospitals will remain ineffective. -Doctor. Girdhar Giani, Director General, Association of Healthcare Providers