Hiring doctors, finding space delay Namma Clinics by two months

The government’s plan to set up neighbourhood clinics across Bengaluru’s 243 wards has run into roadblocks.

Called Namma Clinics, the centres were to be operational by the first week of August, but Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials say it will be at least two more months before they open their doors to the public.

Finding space and recruiting staff have not been easy, an official told DH. “We weren’t able to identify government or BBMP land in all wards. In nearly 60 wards, we had to rent space and the process was time-consuming,” he said.

Officials are yet to zero in on locations for clinics in 12 wards. In the East zone, of the 47 clinics planned, six locations still have no spaces. The West zone will have 46 clinics, and spaces for six clinics are yet to be finalised.

Also, the BBMP is finding it difficult to hire doctors. “We require 243 doctors and we have received applications from just about 160 doctors. We will publish a tentative list soon. We may have to make another recruitment call,” said Dr K V Trilok Chandra, BBMP special commissioner (Health).

Senior BBMP officials attribute the lack of interest to the contract nature of the employment. Trilok Chandra, however, said BBMP had received enough applications to fill up other vacancies.

“Where locations have been identified, we are providing infrastructure and equipment,” he said.

Namma Clinics, classified as urban primary health centres (UPHC), aim to deliver basic health services to small, neighbourhood populations. The project is getting 15th Finance Commission allocations.

In Bengaluru, each clinic gets Rs 36.45 lakh a year. Two clinics, one each at Malleswaram and Padmanabhanagar, are now operating on a pilot basis.