Uttarakhand will reopen 114 Arogya Mandirs under municipal bodies, with new SOPs aimed at improving healthcare access in remote and underserved areas.

Health services in Uttarakhand’s urban areas are set to receive a boost as 114 Arogya Mandirs (Urban Health Centres) are being prepared for reopening. The state government has decided to hand over their operation to municipal bodies, with fresh guidelines and a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) expected to be issued soon.

The move comes after several urban health centres remained closed for months following changes in the agency responsible for their operation. The new arrangement aims to restore primary healthcare services, particularly in areas where access to medical facilities remains limited.

Municipal Bodies to Manage Arogya Mandirs

Under the new plan, municipal bodies will take responsibility for running the Arogya Mandirs in their respective areas. The Urban Development Department will work with the Health Department to prepare a detailed framework for their functioning.

Officials are also expected to issue revised guidelines covering the operation and management of these health centres. The civic bodies will be responsible for implementing the new system at the local level.

Previous Operating Arrangement Changed

The Arogya Mandirs were earlier managed through a company, but the arrangement ended, resulting in the closure of several centres. Subsequently, a proposal was considered to hand over their operation to Bridkul, and the process for an MoU had reportedly begun.

However, the proposal has now been cancelled. Instead, the state has decided that municipal bodies will directly manage the urban health centres.

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More Centres Planned in Remote Mountain Areas

The National Health Mission (NHM) is planning to establish 40 centres across Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital districts. Since these districts already have a comparatively larger number of Arogya Mandirs, the focus will also shift towards remote mountainous areas where healthcare facilities are less accessible.

The revised approach is intended to improve the availability of basic health services in underserved locations.

New SOP to Guide Operations

The government is preparing a fresh SOP for the Arogya Mandirs following changes in their operational structure. The new guidelines will define how the centres are to be managed and how services will be delivered.

Under the new arrangement, municipal bodies will take greater responsibility for the day-to-day functioning of these centres, while the allocated Arogya Mandir budget will be utilised at their level.

Focus on Accessible Urban Healthcare

The reopening of the 114 Arogya Mandirs is expected to strengthen primary healthcare access in Uttarakhand’s urban and semi-urban areas. The government’s revised model also aims to ensure that healthcare infrastructure reaches locations where residents currently have fewer nearby medical facilities.