Decision on mohalla clinics soon, says L-G

New Delhi: Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Thursday told a meeting, which was attended by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, that a decision on mohalla clinics would be taken after ensuring sufficient safeguards, so that quality healthcare could be offered to Delhiites.

The development comes a day after 45 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs  camped at the Raj Niwas for hours, seeking an immediate nod for the mohalla clinics, an initiative of the party.

Besides Kejriwal, the meeting was attended by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, health minister Satyendar Jain, chief secretary M.M. Kutty, finance secretary S.N. Sahai, principal secretary (vigilance) Ashwani Kumar and other officers.

After the meeting, although Sisodia claimed that the L-G had assured that the files on mohalla clinics would be cleared by Tuesday, Baijal said a decision on offering quality healthcare to the residents would be taken only after incorporating safeguards to ensure transparency and objectivity.

“The L-G has assured that mohalla clinic files would be cleared by Tuesday. If he has any queries, he will call us for clarification (sic),” Sisodia wrote on twitter.

Jain had submitted the files on mohalla clinics to the L-G at the meeting. The L-G also told the meeting that all the issues pertaining to the project should be addressed. According to a statement issued by the L-G’s office, the health secretary gave a background of the project.

“Baijal told the gist of the complaints received regarding setting up of these clinics such as no transparent method to select the premises, the rent of the premises being higher than the market rate, the premises of party workers being taken on rent,” the statement said. It added that there were complaints about the said clinics being located far from the existing dispensaries.