Core interventions contributing to the effectiveness of the National Urban Health Mission in India

Abstract

The National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) was launched by the Government of India as a sub-mission of the National Health Mission (NHM) in May 2013, and was the first major programmatic response at the national level to address the health issues of the urban poor [1]. With around 38.6% of the population (estimated at 479 million in 2022) expected to live in urban areas by 2036 [2], providing health care services to this city-based population will largely determine India’s success in achieving universal health care [3]. The existing primary health facilities, grossly inadequate in number, varied in norms and quality, and had limited scope of services. Absence of a comprehensive health system in urban areas prior to NUHM resulted in confusion and increased inequalities, especially among the poor and migrant population [4]