Bangalore: The launch of the much awaited National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), a fillip to the urban health sector, will cover 779 cities in India. The first phase will be implemented in Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore and Bagalkot districts of Karnataka and Ullal town, while Phase 2 will cover all the remaining districts. Nearly 7.75 crore urban population living in listed and unlisted slums stand to benefit.
Inaugurating the National Urban Health Mission at Freedom Park in Bangalore on Monday Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad said the mission aims at making urban population free from ill-health by extending basic health care services to 22 crore people in Indian cities.
The NUHM will follow the institutional structures of National Rural Health Mission(NRHM), launÂched in 2005, in terms of administration. The model will be flexible, to allow states to choose what suits them best.
Nearly 100 million people live in urban slums characterized by overcrowding, poor hygiene and sanitation and the absence of civic services. "Four districts of Karnataka will come under the National Urban Health Mission 2013, a government of India programme to develop a uniform public health delivery system across cities," said Gulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
“One dialysis centre will be launched in each taluk, to provide free treatment to the poor,” said CM Siddaramaiah, adding that a medical college will be opened in each district headquarter. Under NUHM, one primary health care centre will be established for every city with population exceeding 50000.
One ASHA worker will be engaged for every 200 to 500 families. A Mahila Arogya Samiti will be formed for every 50 to 100 households. One Auxiliary Nurse Midwife will be engaged for every 10,000 to 12,000 urban population. Health kiosks and mobile health centers will be set up in urban slum areas to strengthen urban healthcare.
"In Bangalore, 40 kiosks will be launched to provide people with BP, sugar and minor gynecological tests," said UT Khader, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare. ‘Nagu-Magu’, an air-conditioned, fully equipped ambulance service for pregnant women was also flagged off.
