
More beds, clinics, and PPP model in Rs 7,380.44 crore health budget
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced an ambitious Rs 7,380.44 crore health budget for the financial year 2025-26, making up around 10 per cent of the total civic budget of Rs 74,427.41 crore. With a focus on improving healthcare accessibility and infrastructure, the budget aims to expand hospital capacities, introduce new medical initiatives, and enhance public health programmes. For the fiscal year 2025-26, Rs 5,207.70 crore has been earmarked for operational healthcare expenses (Revenue Budget), while Rs 2,172.73 crore is designated for capital investment in healthcare infrastructure.
“With a robust budgetary allocation and strategic expansion of healthcare services, BMC’s 2025-26 Health Budget aims to make Mumbai’s public health system more accessible, affordable, and efficient. From expanding hospital capacities to introducing cutting-edge medical programmes, we are taking significant strides towards universal healthcare coverage for all Mumbaikars,” said BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani Bed capacity expansion
Mumbai currently has 15,302 beds in government hospitals and 31,076 beds in private hospitals. As part of BMC’s hospital redevelopment plan, an additional 3,515 beds will be added, bringing the total bed availability to 49,893. “To cater to the rising suburban population, speciality and super-speciality services will be expanded, with a focus on ICU and neonatal care through private sector partnerships,” Gagrani said.
‘Aapla Dawakhana’ initiative
The Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Aapla Dawakhana network, BMC’s flagship initiative offering free medical consultation, medicines, and diagnostic services, claims to have significantly benefited 90 lakh patients so far. Currently, there are 250 Aapla Dawakhana centres, including 33 polyclinics and diagnostic centres. BMC plans to add 25 more centres and establish three new physiotherapy centres in the next financial year.
These centres provide free consultations from specialists such as ENT doctors, gynaecologists, paediatricians, dermatologists, and ophthalmologists, along with affordable diagnostic services like X-rays, mammography, ECG, CT scans, and MRIs through a voucher system with private labs. “Additionally, mobile clinics have been introduced in remote areas like Aarey Colony and M/East ward,” Gagrani said.
Public-Private Partnership
“To enhance healthcare accessibility while reducing operational costs, BMC is implementing a PPP model. Under this initiative, private institutions will be invited for long-term operation and maintenance of hospitals and health centres. This model aims to minimise out-of-pocket expenses for patients while ensuring sustainable healthcare operations,” Gagrani said.
Strengthening infrastructure
“BMC remains the only municipal corporation in India providing all three tiers of healthcare, primary, secondary, and tertiary services. Mumbai’s five major hospitals (KEM, Nair, Sion, Cooper, and BYL Nair Dental) collectively serve over 60 lakh OPD patients, admit 2.5 lakh inpatients, and perform 1.5 lakh surgeries annually. Additionally, the 16 peripheral hospitals handle over 42 lakh OPD cases, admit 2.5 lakh patients, and conduct 42,000 surgeries per year,” Gagrani said.
Key upcoming healthcare projects
>> Dedicated Oncology and Emergency Department at Nair Hospital
>> Expansion of dialysis facilities and IVF services at KEM, Nair, and Sion Hospitals
>> 150-bedded Cancer Unit at Cooper Hospital with Linear Accelerator & Dharamshala in Bandra
>> Redevelopment of LTMG (Sion) Hospital, including a new Oncology building
Major health care initiatives for 2025-26
Zero prescription policy: Ensuring hospitals stock all essential medicines, reducing patient costs.
Aarogya Seva Aaplya Dari: A citywide doorstep health check-up initiative for early diagnosis and preventive care.
Non-communicable disease prevention: Under Arogyam Kutumbam, 23 lakh citizens over 30 have been screened for hypertension. Another 30 lakh will be screened in 2025-26. Awareness drives in schools and colleges aim to cut salt and sugar consumption by 30 per cent.
Cancer prevention & screening: Oral cancer screening at the ward level will expand with private sector involvement. A ward-wise comprehensive cancer care model covers breast, cervical, and oral cancer screenings. HPV vaccination for 9-14-year-old schoolgirls aims to prevent cervical cancer.
Tuberculosis elimination: TB patients will get kits with masks, sanitizers, and spittoons. Advanced MDR-TB testing will be introduced at Kasturba Hospital.
Maternal & child health: ‘Maa Mitra’ help desks at 38 health centres offer pregnancy counselling. Free voice calls and SMS reminders will assist maternal and child health. Adolescent health centres in 33 areas will focus on mental and reproductive health. Cochlear implants will be provided for children with deaf-mutism.
Expanded immunisation: Over 52,000 vaccination sessions yearly, plus Typhoid Sentinel Surveillance in nine centres to control disease spread.
Citizens speak
Dr Mohan Joshi, Dean,
Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College
Dr Mohan Joshi, dean of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, said, “Super Speciality like oncology, cardiology, nephrology, services at peripheral hospitals is the need of the society today. Once these services are made functional in suburbs, the patient load at the civic-run medical colleges in the city will be reduced drastically and quality treatment at affordable costs can be made available.”
Dr Shailesh Mohite, Dean,
Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital
Dr Shailesh Mohite, dean of Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital said “It is a welcome budget and it will bring in much required health assistance for cancer patients, who can avail cancer treatment at affordable costs”