A prototype for a primary care centre built out of discarded shipping containers, the Mohalla Clinics bring affordable medical services to vulnerable communities in an optimistic and high-quality environment.

Mohalla Clinic at Shakur Basti, Delhi
Mohalla Clinic at Shakur Basti, Delhi © Jeetin Sharma/Architecture Discipline

India’s health infrastructure is facing one of its biggest crises in the post-Independence era. For many years, the country has fared poorly on health infrastructure indices — the Human Development Report 2020 shows a national ratio of only 5 beds per 10,000 people. Existing facilities are highly privatised and expensive, with high costs of treatment that are often paid out-of-pocket by patients. These limitations were exacerbated further by Covid-19 and the stress it exerted on our public health systems. Smaller, grassroots–level medical facilities that provide subsidized services and are quickly deployable are a viable solution to this crisis, bringing affordable care to a broader population.

Short Section, Mohalla Clinic Type B (with a digital reading room above the clinic)
Short Section, Mohalla Clinic Type B (with a digital reading room above the clinic) © Architecture Discipline

Two unit models have been developed for the Mohalla Clinics. Type A comprises an examination room, a reception and waiting area, a pharmacy accessible from outside, and a washroom, making it suitable for routine health checks, testing, and medicine purchasing. Type B is a variation of this model, with a digital reading room on the upper level and an adjoining terrace accessible through a spiral staircase. This model provides a quiet space for study in dense settlements where such facilities are limited. As they are manned 24/7, they are accessible at all times of the day and can act as rain shelters when they are not in use.

Mohalla Clinic at Rani Bagh, Delhi
Mohalla Clinic at Rani Bagh, Delhi © Jeetin Sharma/Architecture Discipline

"The Mohalla Clinics aspire to provide an affordable, space-efficient, and high-quality model of healthcare to all neighbourhoods in Delhi, especially in dense residential clusters that are hard-pressed for space and have limited access to premium healthcare facilities," said Akshat Bhatt, principal architect at Architecture Discipline. "The most distinctive feature of the Mohalla Clinics is that they use discarded shipping containers to solve an important socio-economic problem—access to primary healthcare."1

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