NMMC Expands Healthcare Infrastructure In Navi Mumbai

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is set to expand its public healthcare infrastructure to meet the growing healthcare demands of the city's rising population.

A meeting chaired by Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde reviewed the initiatives, which include increasing neonatal intensive care facilities, upgrading hospitals, recruiting specialist doctors, and improving access to government health schemes.

The Health Department has been directed to strengthen healthcare delivery through infrastructure upgrades, improved patient management, enhanced manpower, and better implementation of public health programmes.

To reduce the patient burden on civic hospitals in Vashi, Nerul, and CBD Belapur, the NMMC is decentralising healthcare services. The Maternal and Child Health Hospital at Airoli will be upgraded into a General Hospital with First Referral Unit (FRU) status, allowing residents to access advanced treatment closer to home.

The civic body has already operationalised an MRI centre and Cath Lab at Vashi Hospital, while an MRI facility is proposed at Airoli. Structural and operational upgrades are also planned at hospitals in Koparkhairane, Digha, Turbhe, and CBD Belapur to improve patient care and expand medical services.

Recognising the increasing number of critically ill newborns referred from private hospitals, the NMMC has proposed establishing a modern modular Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a capacity of 20 to 25 beds.

The civic body also plans to increase Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) beds and recruit super-specialist doctors to strengthen critical care services.

To address the shortage of specialists in civic hospitals, the NMMC is considering offering remuneration comparable to, or higher than, government pay scales by utilising its administrative autonomy.

The Commissioner also directed officials to expedite the distribution of Ayushman Bharat health cards to all eligible beneficiaries in the NMMC area and establish a dedicated health assistance cell with a nodal officer for Ayushman Bharat and the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana.

The list of 29 empanelled hospitals under the state health insurance scheme will also be widely publicised to improve awareness among citizens.

The expansion of healthcare infrastructure in Navi Mumbai is expected to improve the quality of healthcare services in the city, making it more accessible and affordable for its residents.

This move is significant for Mumbai, as it will help to reduce the burden on existing healthcare facilities and provide better medical care to the people of Navi Mumbai.

The NMMC's efforts to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure will have a positive impact on the city's residents, providing them with improved access to quality healthcare services.