Business tycoon Kiran Mazumdar Shaw calls on Delhi CM, appreciates Delhi's Mohalla Clinics

Earlier in the day, Ms Shaw, the founder, chairperson and Managing Director of Asia’s leading biopharmaceutical enterprise Biocon, paid a visit to a Mohalla Clinics in Saket constituency of Delhi.

Appreciating Delhi's healthcare model, the business leader said the establishment of Mohalla Clinics is a step in the right direction towards achieving the sustainable development goal of universal health coverage.

She had tweeted, "Just visited a Mohalla clinic in Saket, Delhi which was most impressive. Neat & clean n very efficient. I spoke to the people who said it was a boon for the Mohalla. Need to replicate this model across the country."

She also said the healthcare model of the Delhi government should be replicated by other states across the country to improve the health infrastructure and maximize the reach of healthcare to the people.

"I had the pleasure of visiting a Mohalla Clinic in Saket, and I must say I was very impressed with the way it is conceived and the way it is serving the people in that community. The way it is planned in terms of making sure that people are able to come there, get their vitals checked, get a consultation with a doctor, get their blood samples taken and avail the reports within 24-hours. What really impressed me was how neat, tidy and systematic it was.

''I think it is a huge boon for primary healthcare, as you know the primary healthcare is a very important part of universal healthcare because it is the starting point for looking at how to diagnose early, create awareness, immunize people in a community. It is the first entry point that all patients should have before they go to secondary and tertiary healthcare centers. Polyclinics are also a part of this ecosystem, and I think it is an excellent program. The other states must emulate the program and we must replicate this across the country. I think healthcare is something that this country needs to focus on," said Ms Shaw.

She also emphasised the need to detect the early symptoms of any virus attacking the population in general, which can prove efficient in prevention of any impending healthcare crisis.

"Today we have the coronavirus crisis which is alarming the whole world. And if you have very effective primary health centres that could first diagnose any patient that is showing signs of any viral fever. It would be also be great to have a vaccine available to immunize this population of the patients.”

Responding to her appreciation, Kejriwal wrote on his twitter handle: "Am so glad @kiranshaw ji found Delhi govt's Mohalla Clinic model effective and scalable. It is our dream that all Indians should have access to free and world class healthcare services in their neighbourhoods Quote Tweet."

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Admi Party sweeped the Delhi Assembly polls on Feb 8, riding on its people-centric schemes. Mohalla Clinic, is one of the schemes among others, that is believeded to have pushed Kejriwal to the helm for the third time.