Inspired by the success of the Mohalla Clinic model of Delhi, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will provide over 2,400 basic as well as advanced tests at its civic dispensaries and peripheral hospitals at a nominal cost from May 1 onwards.
The Aapli Chikitsa initiative will be launched in 175 dispensaries, 28 maternity hospitals, 16 peripheral hospitals and six special hospitals being run by India’s richest civic body, a senior BMC official said.
The BMC health facilities will offer basic lab tests like blood glucose, malaria and dengue at a nominal cost of Rs 50, while advanced tests including Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, HIV and Tuberculosis, among others will be offered at Rs 100.
The civic body has collaborated with Thyrocare and Metropolis to conduct the pathological tests.
However, the Municipal corporation has decided to put a cap on the number of tests patients can avail at its health facilities per day. According to BMC officials, 6-8 patients would be screened per day in dispensaries, while this number could go up to 50 in peripheral hospitals.
The civic body expects to carry out around 7.6 lakh tests in the first year of the launch of the initiative, which would ease pressure on major hospitals across Mumbai.