Pune: The Maharashtra govt has established a dedicated Urban Health Commissionerate (UHC) under the public health department to streamline healthcare delivery in cities. Officials said the move is designed to accelerate the rollout of urban primary health centres (UPHCs), improve referral linkages to district hospitals, and standardise staffing and drug supply norms across the state’s growing cities.Explaining the necessity of the overhaul, Dr Sunil Bhokre, the commissioner of the newly formed UHC, said, “Until now, the public health department governed all health policies. However, the department is heavily overburdened with rural healthcare management. According to the latest demographic data, almost half of Maharashtra’s population lives in cities. We desperately needed a dedicated commissionerate for urban centres, which present their own unique health challenges.” Dr Bhokre added that the UHC will operate under the governance of the health department secretary.The decision, announced in the Nov 4, 2025, budget and operationalised through subsequent orders, is set to reshape how urban health schemes—from the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) to state policies—are planned, funded, and monitored across municipal corporations and councils.A govt resolution (GR) issued on Sept 2 designates the post of “commissioner, urban health services, Maharashtra” as the absolute nodal authority for urban healthcare, replacing previous overlapping administrative titles linked to the NUHM and independent state societies.Operating as a principal secretary-level head, the commissioner will be supported by subordinate additional commissioners and deputy commissioners tasked with implementing national and state urban health policies on the ground. By consolidating the NUHM, UPHCs, and related city schemes under a single administrative umbrella, the govt aims to eliminate the fragmentation that has long crippled urban health programmes.To ensure smooth execution, a three-member committee has been formed to finalise cadre structures, reporting hierarchies, and remuneration for dedicated medical officers across all civic bodies. This will ensure seamless coordination between local municipal administrators and state health authorities, officials said.For city residents, the dedicated UHC promises faster access to local primary care, superior management of non-communicable diseases, and highly accountable grievance redressal mechanisms within municipal clinics.
