MCD to convert healthcare centres into Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs; 41 to open on PM's birthday

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) Healthcare centres under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will be converted into Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs, with 41 set to be inaugurated on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on Wednesday.

The MCD has set a target of creating over 300 such units, while currently the civic body has over 150 centres, some of which have already been upgraded.

While 41 will be inaugurated on Wednesday, another 19 are scheduled for inauguration on September 30. Fifty units are expected to be completed next month, while the remaining will be constructed afresh.

An MCD official told PTI that all modification expenses for upgrading these existing units are being fully covered by the Delhi government.

The official said the current focus is on transforming the existing MCD healthcare structures into Ayushman Aarogya Mandir units. In the next phase, the corporation aims to identify vacant buildings and acquire land for constructing new and dedicated centres to expand healthcare access across Delhi.

Several existing primary health centres (PHCs) and sub-centres, maternity centres, maternity homes and polyclinics will be reconstructed as part of this initiative. The redesigned units will offer enhanced medical services, improved infrastructure and better-equipped facilities to ensure comprehensive primary healthcare for Delhi residents.

A number of these upgraded centres are set to be inaugurated on Wednesday. These include four units in the Central Zone, two in South Delhi and three in West Delhi and Najafgarh. The remaining centres to be opened on the same day are located in Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, Keshavpuram, Narela, Shahdara and South Delhi.

In addition to the ongoing conversions, 16 entirely new units are planned for construction in various parts of the city. These include three in the Central Zone, four in North Delhi and three in North-West Delhi, with the remaining units distributed across South and Central Delhi.

The civic body oversees a wide range of healthcare services in Delhi, including eight major hospitals like Hindu Rao, Balak Ram and Swami Dayanand, along with 102 maternal and child welfare centres, 13 maternity homes, 13 polyclinics, PHCs, dispensaries and additional medical facilities.

Additionally, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that 1,139 Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs will be established across Delhi by 2026. PTI NSM NSM KSS KSS