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Programme to ensure health of urban slum dwellers

PUDUCHERRY: After implementing the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) three years ago, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is all set to launch its urban counterpart, the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), this year. The mission aims to cover 430 cities during 2008-2012, including the Puducherry and Oulgaret (Ozhukarai) Municipalities.

The Ministry aims to “address the health concerns of the urban slum population through facilitating equitable access to available health facilities by rationalising and strengthening the existing capacity of health delivery,” sources said Apart from the slum population, it would cover vulnerable sections such as street children, beggars and construction workers living in temporary settlements.

In the first year of its implementation, the NUHM would give priority to 100 cities. However, it would cover all State capitals and cities with population of one lakh and above. While Puducherry finds place in the first 100 cities, Oulgaret has been included in the second phase of 330 cities. According to the mission draft, the Puducherry Municipality has a total population of 2,20,749. Of this, the slum population accounted for 14.10 per cent with 31,129 people. The other cities that would be covered in the first phase include Greater Mumbai, Delhi Municipal Corporation, Chennai and places with higher slum population such as Nellore, Madurai and Vijayawada.

With a total population of 2,17,623, Oulgaret has a slum population of 10,490, the draft said. The second phase has been extended to Noida in Uttar Pradesh, Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh and Shimoga in Karnataka.

During his recent visit to Puducherry, Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss had said that similar to Accredited Social Health Activists in the NRHM, Urban Social Health Activists would be appointed under the NUHM. Accordingly, one activist would be posted for 1,000 to 2,500 urban poor population thereby covering 250 to 500 households. Mahila Arogya Samitis would be formed.

The draft states that an estimated allocation of approximately Rs. 8,600 crore from the Central government would be required but a shared mechanism between the Central government State/urban local bodies has also been proposed to sustain the mission from the second year.

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