Govt spent Rs. 6493.28 Crore on National Urban Health Mission since May 2013

New Delhi: National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) was approved in May, 2013 as a sub-mission under National Health Mission (NHM) for providing equitable and quality primary health care services to the urban population with a special focus on the slum and vulnerable population. Since its launch, there has been a gradual increase in terms of financial and physical progress reported by the States. So far, an amount of Rs. 6493.28 Crore has been released under the mission. This was stated by the Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Ashwini Kumar Choubey in the Parliament on 9th February.

States have the flexibility regarding the implementation of NUHM through their State Health Department or Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). Support has been provided for the strengthening of total of 5430 facilities (5246- UPHCs and 184 UCHCs) in urban areas, construction of 807 new UPHCs and 86 new UCHCs.  A total of 3692 Medical Officers, 506 Specialists and 36,037 para-medical staff have been approved. 77,019 ASHAs and 93,600 MAS have also been approved under the Programme.

Under Ayushman Bharat (AB) which was launched In 2018 with twin components of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and Setting up of AB-Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs),  Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) made operational as HWCs with expanded range of services.

Replying to a different question, Mr Choubey stated that Under the Ayushman Bharat initiative, the Government is committed to setting up of 1.5 lakhs Health & Wellness Centers (HWCs), across the country by December 2022. “Sufficient resources have been provided to the States for the creation of the same and as many as 57,017 HWCs have become functional so far, taking primary healthcare services to the community.”

The PM Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana has been announced for developing capacities of primary, secondary and tertiary care health systems, strengthen existing national institutions, and create new institutions, to cater to detection and cure of new and emerging diseases. This will be in addition to the National Health Mission.

The main interventions under the scheme include support for 17,788 rural and 11,024 urban Health and Wellness Centres; setting up integrated public health labs in all districts and 3382 block public health units in 11 States; establishing critical care hospital blocks in 602 districts and 12 central institutions; strengthening of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), its 5 regional branches and 20 metropolitan health surveillance units; expansion of the Integrated Health Information Portal to all States/UTs to connect all public health labs; operationalization of 17 new Public Health Units and strengthening of 33 existing Public Health Units at Points of Entry, that is at 32 Airports, 11 Seaports and 7 land crossings; setting up of 15 Health Emergency Operation Centres and 2 mobile hospitals; and setting up of a national institution for One Health, a Regional Research Platform for WHO South-East Asia Region, 9 Bio-Safety Level III laboratories and 4 regional National Institutes for Virology.

“20% of funds under the NHM are placed in an incentive pool. Incentives are provided to States on the achievement of priority indicators including an increase in States’ budgetary expenditure on health,” said the Minister.