The mission will be implemented in phases and in its first phase will cover 100 cities in the country including Mumbai. Dr GT Ambe, joint executive health officer, health department, BMC said, “We have already given an application to form a society for the implementation of NUHM to charity commission and the hearing is on January 17. Once cleared, the mission can be rolled out.”

After the society is formed, funds for NUHM will flow in from the Centre, which will streamline all state and national level programmes aimed at reducing infant and maternal mortality rates in the poor urban pockets. The Mumbai District Integrated Health and Family Welfare Society, to be headed by the mayor, will act as the umbrella organisation for various existing projects like Mother and Child Health project, the much-delayed Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) -II programme, Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic techniques, Pulse Polio project, Immunization and Integrated Disease Surveillance project and other national programmes.

“We are awaiting Rs 12 crore earmarked by the Centre for this year under NUHM to build an additional 71 health posts. We have already done reservation and accommodation with existing 168 health posts,” said BMC’s health committee chairperson Shubhada Gudekar.

Free of cost health care facilities will be available under the NUHM for a slum population of over 80 lakh. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) of the NRHM will be called Urban Social Health activists (USHA) and one USHA will be deployed to each urban center of the city.

Apart from working on the health mission, the civic body also plans to finish work on the state-of-the-art hospital that is slated to come up in Borivali. The hospital will cater to the medical needs of women and children. Gudekar added, “We have already allocated funds of Rs 10 crore and will soon purchase equipments required for the hospital. The hospital should start by April.”

Apart from a dedicated mother and child care hospital, the BMC is also planning to start an Ayurvedic college by end of this year. “We have already submitted a proposal for the Ayurvedic College in Mumbai and are looking out for space,” said Dr Sanjay Oak, director of medical education and research, BMC. Civic authorities are also busy preparing for the 14th World Conference on Tobacco and Health scheduled to take place in March this year. Three thousand delegates from across the globe will be attending this event, which is supposed to be the most significant tobacco control event in the world and the largest public health conference to take place in India.

Apart from the new projects, BMC’s refurbishment and renovation plans for the existing hospitals will run through the whole of next year. “Out patient department and general wards at Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali will be open for public within three months and budget for super specialty has been sanctioned. The hospital will take care of the patient load from Cooper Hospital and Bhagwati Hospital,” said Gudekar.