Mumbai: Last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allocated Rs 1,384.04 crore in the health budget for 2023-24. This year, however, the fund has been substantially increased to Rs 1,716.85 crore for the period 2024-25. Therefore, the BMC will now implement more and more effective measures to keep Mumbaikars healthy.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) provides three-tier health services to the citizens. It is the only system in the country to offer such services. These include primary health facilities through 212 health centers, 192 dispensaries, 30 maternity homes, and 5 special hospitals; Comprehensive services such as secondary level health services are provided by 16 suburban hospitals and 3rd level health services by 4 medical colleges, major hospitals, and 1 dental college.
Rs 500 crore allocated for zero prescription policy, study group set upThe BMC provides healthcare services to all patients at subsidized rates. Patients have to buy medicines and modern forms of medicines and implants from outside. Therefore, in the new year, the Chief Minister will implement a zero-prescription policy. For the same, various study groups have been formed and it has been decided to include all the necessary medicines in the schedule to make them available from the hospital itself except non-essential medicines. Apart from this, the BMC will circulate the rate circular for purchases from Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, Ayushman Bharat Arogya Yojana, and the Poor Patient Assistance Fund. A provision of Rs 500 crore has been made this year.