In order to ramp up health facilities in urban regions, the Centre will shortly launch a country-wide urban health mission that include provisions for free health insurance for about six crore people who live in urban slum areas.
Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss stated that the health ministry will roll out National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in May for monitoring and improving the health of 22 crore people living in 429 cities as well as towns of the country.
Under the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12), a sum of Rs 80 billion has been reserved for the plan.. NUHM is aimed at providing accessible, reasonable, effectual and dependable primary healthcare facilities, especially to the poor and homeless urban population.
“Out of this nearly six crore of the slum population would be insured,” Mr. Anbumani said.
The government would pay the premium for the plan with coverage of Rs 40,000-50,000 directly to the hospitals and this would help the hospital to perk up its infrastructure and health facilities.
The health minister also said, “The beneficiaries of this scheme can approach both government and private hospitals.”
Afterwards, the beneficiaries might have to pay a premium of Rs 600 on a yearly basis. The insurance will cover up maternal benefits, Out Patient Department (OPD) facilities and other general illnesses.
The NUHM aims one primary level health facility for 50,000 people with provision for establishment of new born care units and one referral level health facility per 2,50,000 population.
The primary health centres will have one physician, two nurses and five Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives (ANM). It would also have all basic facilties including laboratories and testing centres.
The new health plan also visualizes an active and socially committed slum level woman as a link volunteer for a slum population of 1500-2000 who will look after the health of people regularly.
Besides, the new scheme would also concentrate on effectual integration amongst health and related departments such as women and child development, water and sanitation, urban development and poverty alleviation.
"It also encourages optimal exploitation of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for expanding health services and strengthening linkages between the service providers and the community, especially the vulnerable sections thereof,” the minister said.
