Aam Aadmi Clinics: Journey of a Small Idea to Global acceptability

‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ suits perfectly for AAP Delhi Govt

Mohalla Clinics

  • The intention to bring affordable medical services to the door step of communities in an optimistic and high-quality environment led to innovative idea called Mohalla Clinics.
  • All the credit goes to then Delhi Health Minister & the Father of Mohalla Clinics Satyendar Jain
  • Mohalla Clinics are a beautiful combination of smart architecture, digitized processes & incentivized pay structures of staff

Upcycled Shipping Container Mohalla Clinics[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Mohalla Clinics faced issues like scaling along with the dirty tricks to spread falsehoods with images of under-construction units and the underhanded tactics of BJP led Central Govt to stop allocation of land for Mohalla Clinics

This led to another innovation i.e. Upcycled Shipping Container Mohalla Clinics which is formed by joining two 20-foot-long containers together

Upcycled Shipping Container Mohalla Clinic

Based on up-scaled Shipping Containers

There was considerable risk involved but Satyendar Jain, the then Health & PWD Minister also an architect himself with his strong will, tough calls and intention to deliver helped the Government overcome multiple obstacles in delivering these.

  • Arvind Kejriwal Govt partnered with Design firm Architecture Discipline on a pro bono basis to build these Mohalla clinics for the Government’s Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics programme.

  • This New Model was certainly a bit costlier than Portacabin Model of Mohalla Clinics. But

  • Completely Pre-fabricated & Standardised unit

  • Easily transportable to various locations & installed with minimal on-site work

  • Pre-installed with electrical fixtures, air conditioning, thermally insulated walls, 200L water tanks & furniture

  • Such pre-fab structures have shorter construction time with little construction waste & no air pollution[1]

  • The duration of deployment can even be brought down to 2-3 days

  • Ship containers gave an extra layer of ‘Steel’ Security, against miscreants (who were strangely never caught by ‘BJP’ controlled Delhi Police after they had vandalised the Porta Cabin clinics)

  • Anti-microbial vinyl flooring & medical-grade stainless steel countertops are also designed for easy maintenance

  • Possibility of airlifting the units to emergency situations like disaster-struck regions or war zones

Newer Model with a separate Digital Library on upper level[1:1]

This Library at upper level provides for a quiet space for study in dense settlements where such facilities are limited.

New Model with Library at top

Attention in Global & Leading Architectural Magazines

The Design firm Architecture Discipline has exhibited these at

  • Hospitality-Design magazine Oct 2022 edition[8]
  • Lisbon Architecture Triennale 2022 in Portugal, Europe[9]
  • They are also in talks with Nepalese and Australian governments to expand the concept[8:1]
  • Upcoming deployments across Punjab (where AAP has formed its second Government)[8:2]

Detailed Article

Original Article:  https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2023/06/the-guts-and-glory-the-story-of-modern-aam-aadmi-mohalla-clinics

References:

  1. https://www.architectureplusdesign.in/architecture/commercial/a-prototype-for-affordable-healthcare-by-architecture-discipline/ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. https://www.architecturediscipline.com/news-listing/mohalla-clinics-recognised-by-fast-companys-innovation-by-design-awards/ ↩︎

  3. https://www.architecturaldigest.in/story/delhi-mohalla-clinics-made-of-upcycled-shipping-containers-promise-impact-sustainability/ ↩︎

  4. https://www.platform-mag.com/design/akshat-bhatt.html ↩︎

  5. https://archello.com/project/mohalla-clinics ↩︎

  6. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2021/sep/07/architect-akshat-bhatt-shares-why-the-mohalla-clinics-is-a-positive-step-towards-sustainable-healthcare-2355371.html ↩︎

  7. https://yourstory.com/weekender/architectural-firm-public-health-mohalla-clinics-delhi ↩︎

  8. https://www.architecturediscipline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Hospitality-Design_Mohalla-Clinics_November-2022.pdf ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  9. https://www.architecturediscipline.com/news-listing/mohalla-clinics-exhibited-at-lisbon-architecture-triennale-2022/ ↩︎