- The National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) is a government-funded health initiative in India that aims to improve the health of urban citizens. The NUHM was launched in 2013 and is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Main objectives:
- To provide universal access to quality primary healthcare: The NUHM aims to provide universal access to quality primary healthcare services to all urban citizens, regardless of their economic status. This includes preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative services.
- To reduce maternal and child mortality: The NUHM aims to reduce maternal and child mortality rates by improving access to quality healthcare services for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children.
- To control communicable diseases: The NUHM aims to control communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS by providing preventive and treatment services.
- To improve the health of vulnerable groups: The NUHM aims to improve the health of vulnerable groups such as the urban poor, women, and children. This includes providing them with access to quality healthcare services and promoting their health and well-being.
- To strengthen the urban health system: The NUHM aims to strengthen the urban health system by providing it with the necessary resources and infrastructure. This includes building and upgrading hospitals and primary healthcare centers, and training health workers.
Success
- The NUHM has been implemented in all urban areas of India. It has been a success in improving the health of urban citizens.
- The maternal mortality rate has declined from 167 per 100,000 live births in 2011-12 to 113 per 100,000 live births in 2017-18.
- The child mortality rate has also declined from 39 per 1000 live births in 2011-12 to 28 per 1000 live births in 2017-18.
Challenges:
- Inadequate funding: The NUHM is not adequately funded. This has led to a shortage of resources and infrastructure, which has hampered the implementation of the scheme.
- Lack of coordination: There is often a lack of coordination between different government departments and agencies involved in the implementation of the NUHM. This has led to delays and inefficiencies.
- Corruption: There have been reports of corruption in the implementation of the NUHM. This has undermined the objectives of the scheme.
The government is taking steps to address these challenges. It has increased the funding for the NUHM and is working to improve coordination between different government departments and agencies. The government is also taking steps to prevent corruption.
The NUHM is a landmark initiative that has the potential to improve the health of millions of urban citizens in India. With the right implementation, the NUHM can help to achieve the goal of universal health coverage in India.