BMC to open over 60 HBT clinics in Mumbai

Guardian Minister of Mumbai suburbs Mangal Prabhat Lodha released a jingle for HBT clinics with (from left) ex-corporators Rajeshree Shirwadakar and Kamlesh Yadav, AMC Dr Sudhakar Shinde, dy municipal commissioner Sanjay Kurhade and civic executive health officer Dr Daksha Shah

Following the success of HBT clinics, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be opening over 60 such clinics in the city by the year end. Currently, there are 166 clinics and 28 polyclinics in the city under the HBT clinic scheme.

On the first anniversary of the HBT clinic, which is named after Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, BMC released a special jingle dedicated to the clinic. Mumbai suburbs guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha released this jingle on Monday. "We have decided to keep a suggestion box in the HBT clinics to provide health care services that are always improving. People can submit their suggestions to help us improve our services," said Lodha.

Additional municipal commissioner Dr Sudhakar Shinde said the diagnosis centres provide special services like gynaecology, dental, child care, dermatology, etc. About 23 lakh citizens have been treated in HBT clinics. "As of now, 194 clinics are running under the HBT clinic scheme in the city. We have decided to increase the clinics to 250 by year end. This month we will start seven new clinics," Dr Shinde said. BMC will also appoint new doctors and other staff for new clinics, Dr Shinde said

"Yes, there is the problem of land for starting new clinics. These clinics mainly started around slums, which are densely populated. But we are trying to get land to start new clinics to provide doorstep health care," Dr Shinde said.