National Health Mission: NRHM and NUHM
TOPIC CLASSIFICATION
Subject: Governance | Topic: Health Policy & Schemes Sub-topic: National Health Mission — NRHM (rural) and NUHM (urban) Prelims Focus: Launch year, components (NRHM, NUHM), ASHA, JSY, JSSK, Rogi Kalyan Samitis Mains Focus: Health outcomes — IMR, MMR improvement; challenges — urban health, human resources, disease burden
EXAMINER REASONING
NHM is India's flagship public health programme covering both rural and urban areas. UPSC tests its architecture (NRHM + NUHM) and key sub-schemes (ASHA, JSY) in Prelims. Mains questions focus on achievements in maternal/child health, gaps in urban health infrastructure, NHM's role during COVID-19, and the challenge of rising non-communicable diseases.
Core Concept
National Health Mission (NHM) was launched in 2013 by merging the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM, 2005) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM, 2013). It is the largest centrally sponsored scheme in the health sector.
NHM Architecture
| Component | Focus Area | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| NRHM | Rural areas (all states) | ASHA workers, Sub-Centres, PHCs, CHCs, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram |
| NUHM | Urban areas (cities >50k) | Urban PHCs, Urban Community Health Centres, Mahila Arogya Samitis |
| Flexible Pools | Disease control | National Disease Control Programmes (TB, Malaria, HIV, NCDs) |
| Infrastructure | Public health facilities | Upgradation of Sub-Centres to HWC (Health & Wellness Centres) under Ayushman Bharat |