A study of Mohalla clinic scheme in Delhi: Delivery of primary healthcare to poor people residing in urban areas.

Abstract

Both the public and private healthcare systems in India offer services, however the poor and marginalised populations cannot afford the private systems due to their higher costs. India's public healthcare system is currently overwhelmed despite being largely free. Most of the poor/marginalised people living in Delhi are dependent on primary health care centres for minor ailments and for prolonged illnesses as well. Mohalla clinics were started as a flagship scheme for healthcare services by the Delhi Government in July 2015. The primary motive of these clinics was to make healthcare easily affordable and accessible. This scheme has become popular in Delhi and a number of other Indian states are trying to establish similar centres. This report indicates that the main beneficiaries of this scheme are women, children and elderly. The research on the Mohalla clinic scheme in Delhi was primarily conducted to understand the feasibility of this scheme, and also to understand the dynamics of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems in India.