The walls are freshly painted in yellow with murals showing a doctor treating a child and assisting a pregnant woman, while the entrance sports newly installed railings, an iron gate and a board: This is the new Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandir (UAAM) in F Block, Central Delhi’s Inderpuri, which has opened its doors to residents. Until recently, it was a mohalla clinic. Gone are posters of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Health Minister Satyendar Jain. In fact, every sign identifying this clinic with the previous Aam Aadmi Party government’s flagship scheme has been erased. The Delhi government has readied at least four such clinics — one each in Todapur, Bhanwar Singh Camp in Vasant Vihar, Mayapuri and Inderpuri. This is part of the Centre’s flagship Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission scheme (PM-ABHIM), which has been implemented in the Capital. Story continues below this ad A total of 13 staff members, including a medical officer, will be appointed to the Inderpuri facility, as per an official order. Other staff members include a pharmacist, four auxiliary nurse midwives, a lab technician, a DOTS lab technician (for management of tuberculosis patients), a data entry operator, and a cleaner. The facility is supposed to maintain an essential drug list of 256 medicines. In-house tests will be made available for blood sugar, haemoglobin, blood group, urine, pregnancy, among others. Ninety other tests will be outsourced to Agilus Lab. While the coat of paint is new, as is the board, change will take time. For now, residents who frequent the facility said it’s the same as before. Sitting on a bench outside the clinic were two local residents, Amit Kumar and Sagar Mandal. “We live in the neighbourhood,” said Kumar, a Delhi government employee. “This still seems like a mohalla clinic… Medicines, tests and consultation… everything is free so far,” he added. Story continues below this ad On April 17, the clinic was locked because the doctor was on leave. “Whenever the doctor is on leave, the entire staff also takes off,” Kumar claimed. “This is how mohalla clinics also functioned.” Mandal added, “The staff register patients on their tabs and notebooks just like before.” Saroj Devi, 65, who runs a grocery shop nearby, said, ‘jaise pehle tha waise ab bhi hai (It is providing the same services as earlier)’. For a few months, it functioned very erratically. “It remains shut most days,” she added. Story continues below this ad After winning the Delhi elections, the BJP government had announced that it would convert 250 mohalla clinics running from rented accommodations to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. State Health Minister Pankaj Singh had said, “We will also establish the centres near JJ clusters to ensure free primary healthcare for all residents in these areas.” On April 16, the Delhi Health Department issued directions to the chief engineer of the Public Works Department to complete construction of 70 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and make them functional by May 31. Last week, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that a total of 1,139 Arogya Mandirs will be established across Delhi, with approximately 15 centres in each assembly constituency. These centres will offer general health consultations, awareness services, primary treatment and preventive medication. Gupta also issued instructions to all public representatives and district magistrates to promptly identify and inspect appropriate locations for the Arogya Mandirs. Services on offer Sources in the health department said the Arogya Mandirs will offer 12 comprehensive service packages. Story continues below this ad The existing scheme for MRI and CT scans will continue, with referrals to private centres. The UAAMs will also screen for common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cervical, breast and oral cancer. According to health department officials, the primary focus of these health centres will be a holistic approach towards patient care and disease prevention. The upgraded centres will have daycare facilities as well. Sources said work is underway, as per guidelines of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, under the guidance of district magistrates and in coordination with chief medical officers of the districts concerned.