The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is preparing to establish dialysis centres at seven hospitals and health institutions across the city, offering services at affordable rates and cashless treatment to eligible Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries. The centres are proposed under a public-private partnership model and are intended to reduce the cost and travel burden for patients requiring regular dialysis.
MCD Standing Committee chairperson Satya Sharma said the civic body was expanding healthcare facilities in its hospitals to provide kidney patients with access to treatment closer to their homes. The proposed centres will be located in Swami Dayanand Hospital in Dilshad Garden, Balak Ram Hospital in Timarpur, the Urban Primary Health Centre in Fatehpur Beri, Mata Gujri Hospital in Tilak Nagar, Purnima Sethi Multispeciality Hospital in Kalkaji, Shrimati Girdhari Lal Maternity Hospital near Ajmeri Gate and Veer Savarkar Arogya Sansthan in Karawal Nagar.
Under the proposal, one private service provider would operate all seven centres through a cluster model. The agency would install dialysis machines at its own cost, appoint technical staff and manage the operation and maintenance of the facilities. The MCD would provide space at each site for a nominal licence fee of Rs 1 per month. Water would be supplied through the hospitals’ existing arrangements, while the private operator would bear the electricity costs.
The corporation would not make any direct payment to the service provider and would not guarantee a minimum number of patients, according to the proposal described by Sharma. The initial contract would run for 10 years, with a possible extension of up to five years subject to satisfactory performance and the renewal of machines. A mid-term review is proposed in the fifth year.
The operator is expected to be selected through an open e-tender process. Among technically qualified bidders, the contract would be awarded to the service provider offering the highest discount, according to the stated proposal. The details of the final service rates, eligibility process, treatment capacity and commissioning schedule have not been provided in the report.
The MCD’s plan addresses two linked challenges in dialysis care: the recurring cost of treatment and the need for frequent travel. The report estimates that a single dialysis session in a private hospital costs approximately Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500. Patients undergoing treatment two or three times a week can therefore face a substantial recurring expense, particularly when transport and accompanying family members’ lost working time are included.
Eligible beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana would receive cashless treatment under applicable provisions. For other patients, the MCD has said the centres are intended to provide a lower-cost treatment option through its hospitals. The proposed distribution across east, north, south, west and central parts of Delhi is also aimed at reducing the need for patients to travel to distant facilities for routine care.
The next step is the issuance of the e-tender and selection of the private service provider. The centres’ opening dates, installed capacity and final patient charges will depend on the tender process and subsequent implementation by the selected agency.
