Agencies recommend action plan for urban poor

Even as the announcement of the National Urban Health Mission is expected,agencies across the state have been doing a stocktaking exercise and recommended the need for an immediate action plan for the urban poor.

Even as the announcement of the National Urban Health Mission is expected,agencies across the state have been doing a stocktaking exercise and recommended the need for an immediate action plan for the urban poor.

In its report,the Institute of Health Management,Pachod (Pune Centre) in collaboration with Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA),Pune Public Health Department,Government of Maharashtra and International Institute of Population Sciences (IIPS),Mumbai,have strongly recommended the need for mapping and census in urban slums to provide baseline information.

Dr Anil Paranjape,programme director,Urban Health,Institute of Health Management,Pachod,said a workshop was held to review the status of the urban poor. According to him,there are nearly 14 lakh urban poor staying in over 100 slums in the city. Maharashtra is the second-most urbanised state in India,with a high internal migration to large cities. It has the highest number of slums in the country. Maharashtra has the largest number of urban health posts in India. However,a considerable number are not functional. Facilities are deficient and there is shortage of staff,equipment and drugs. Services are not uniform across cities,Paranjape pointed out.

The urban health infrastructure needs to be revamped,with attention given to financing of urban health posts. The role of urban social health activist (USHA) is crucial to ensure universal access to services by the poor. The NUHM plans to target some 80 million urban poor.

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