The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to increase the number of Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray (HBT) clinics that give free treatment in Mumbai to 100 by January 26, officials said.
The BMC in its 2022-23 financial budget has announced plans to open 227 HBT clinics which will run on the lines of Delhi’s ‘mohalla clinics’ or community clinics.
The main objective of HBT clinics is to provide basic medical treatment along with diagnostic and pathological treatment facilities, including X-Ray and ECG services, free of cost to Mumbaikars.
Though the idea of setting up these clinics was proposed during the former Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, after forming the new Shinde-Fadnavis government in 2022, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, announced the opening of 51 such centres across the city. According to the official sources, 52 such dispensaries are currently operational in Mumbai.
Considering the overwhelming response to the HBT clinics, the civic body has chalked out new locations. Dr Sanjeev Kumar, additional municipal commissioner in charge of the public health department in the city said they are eyeing to set up at least one such clinic in each of the 227 electoral wards in Mumbai. Currently, there are 28 full-fledged HBT clinics that are operational in Mumbai, as per the data.
Share
Tweet
