Community Outreach Case Study: Free Radiology Examinations at 21 Private Labs in New Delhi, India

New Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has introduced a new radiology-centric healthcare initiative that will enable all of the city’s residents to access free radiology tests. The action is apart of a wave of legislation to increase government spending in both healthcare and public education sectors.  

In the last two years, the AAP has doubled Delhi’s education budget and grown its healthcare funds by one and a half times. Calling it the “responsibility of the government,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has also established a plan to create medical facilities within two miles of every resident. The free radiology scans are a move to reduce long waiting times for test results that the people of New Delhi have been accustomed to.

Everyone — regardless of economic status — are entitled to free radiology tests. All that’s required is for residents to secure a referral letter from one of 30 chosen governmental hospitals and present it to any of the participating 21 laboratories.

"The dreams with which we had come into politics are now being fulfilled,” said Kejriwal. “Government has already waived off user charges in its hospitals besides making all medicines free.”

The AAP also plans to roll out a program that will allow those in need of surgeries to

access private hospitals if the waiting period is longer than a month. AAP’s progressive efforts on the healthcare front could very well inspire other states and countries to follow suit, demonstrating that community outreach is effective and possible by radiology practices.