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Master Plan will hit health services: Vardhan

Staff Reporter

`More than 40,000 doctors in the Capital will be forced to close their clinics and dispensaries'

NEW DELHI: Delhi Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party president Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said the proposed Master Plan for Delhi-2021 would severely affect health services in the Capital.

In a statement, he said more than 40,000 doctors in the Capital would be forced to close their clinics and dispensaries if MPD-2021 was implemented.

Dr. Vardhan said the Master Plan specified a minimum of 50 square metres land to run health clinics, dispensaries and diagnostic laboratories, while for nursing homes a plot of at least 200 square metres would be the minimum.

Also, it bans running of health services from DDA flats, group housing societies and basements. "If these provisions are complied with, then more than 80 per cent of the health services in Delhi will close down and several people would meet untimely death," said Dr. Vardhan.

Dr. Vardhan said the World Health Organisation prescribed a five-bed hospital for every 1,000 people but in Delhi there were only 2.2 beds per 1,000 people. "It is the doctors who provide health services to people in various areas on their own initiative," said Dr. Vardhan.

The BJP leader said 40 lakh people lived in group housing societies and DDA flats. Another 60 lakh lived in villages and unauthorised and rehabilitation colonies. Yet another 30 lakh live in areas where the Government has provided 18 square metre plots to the people. "No health services are available from the Government near these houses. If the provisions of the Master Plan are implemented, then doctors will have to close their clinics and dispensaries in these areas causing grave problems for the residents."

Dr. Vardhan said that the IMA had raised objections to these provisions but still the Master Plan has incorporated them. He demanded that permission be given for running nursing homes on 100-square metre plots and those currently in operation should be allowed to run. Further, in category A to D colonies, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries and diagnostic centres should be allowed to operate on 13.5 metre wide roads and on nine metre roads in other categories.

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