Improvement in health services is an area of focus in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation budget proposals. The corporation has allocated Rs 127 crore of the total expenditure outlay for the health sector alone.

Some of the major initiatives proposed for the next inancial year include a unit for senior citizens at Swami Dayanand Hospital, mobile units for the homeless, mobile dental units, adolescent, reproductive and sexual health clinics at maternity homes, upgrading all maternity homes into fully functional first referral units, development of a 200-bed multi-speciality hospital at Karawal Nagar. 

Apart from improving infrastructure in the existing hospitals and clinics, commissioner S S Yadav also proposed providing outdoor patient facility at Swami Dayanand Hospital in the evening as well.
 
“While two mobile vans will cater to the homeless living on streets and in night shelters, for the first time we plan to induct two mobile dental vans that will cater to the general public,” said Yadav.

“Currently, OPD facility is available only in the morning hours. But since most of the people are busy at work, they don’t get time to visit the hospital. In order to do away with such problems, the OPD facility at Swami Dayanand Hospital will also be available in the evening,” he added.

The developmental projects require fund which the corporation wants to generate by increasing taxes related to property, new levies and a hike in parking charges. But the officer also exuded confidence that health related projects will not be affected even if the House rejects the proposals.

“We are tapping lots of resources provided under the National Rural Health Mission of the Union government. So financing a majority of projects will not be a problem,” said Yadav.