AMC likely to get funds to improve healthcare: Mayor

AURANGABAD: Mayor Kala Oza on Thursday said that the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) may soon receive funds under National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) to improve healthcare facilities in the city.
"In a meeting via video conference on November 30, 2013, NUHM commissioner and project director K M Govind Raj has granted in-principle approval to allot funds to the civic body," she said.
The NUHM is a healthcare programme of the Union government to be implemented simultaneously in various cities across the country. Oza said that the civic body had submitted the project implementation plan worth Rs 43.38 crore to the state government in July 2013.
"According to the government's instructions, we had prepared the plan and highlighted the areas that have to be improved to ensure quality healthcare in Aurangabad. We hope that the authorities will consider most of the proposals and grant approval," Oza said.
The civic body is looking forward to develop one hospital and add five new dispensaries through the NUHM funds. At present, the municipal body runs six dispensaries, but there is no general hospital. The city has five maternity homes. The proposed plan has, however, not suggested any additional maternity home.
Besides, the AMC has proposed additional medical staff at its health centres. They have asked for 35 new doctors in addition to the existing strength of 33. Similarly, the civic body wants to appoint 72 staff nurses. At present, there are 74 staff nurses serving in the municipal hospitals and other health centres.
According to the new programme, the civic body will cater to medical needs of the residents of slums through link workers. As of now, the AMC has 83 link workers and wants the strength to be increased to 171. AMC health officer Jayashree Kulkarni said that the plan was prepared keeping in mind the growing population in slums. "It has been designed according to the norms of Indian Public Health Standards," she added.