The Health Department is contemplating extending the operational hours of Namma Clinics in city for the benefit of daily wage workers who work throughout the day. However, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is yet to deliberate on the same.
Minister for Health and Family Affairs Dinesh Gundu Rao said he is planning to keep the clinics, which currently close at around 5 p.m., operational till 8 p.m. This is in line with operational hours of such clinics in districts other than Bengaluru.
Mr. Gundu Rao said daily wage labourers, who are dependent on the government clinics, are unable to visit the centres in the current operational hours as they are at work. At present clinics operate between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Usually workers end the day’s job at 5 p.m. and extending the operational hours will help them visit at their convenient time.
Mr. Gundu Rao further said he will discuss it with the health officials of the BBMP soon. Sources in the Health Department said Mr. Gundu Rao is firm on extending the time as he thinks this will hugely benefit the workers.
K.V. Trilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, said so far there was no proposal with the BBMP to extend working hours of Namma Clinics. “If the Minister directs us to extend working hours, we will work on the same,” he said.
