The Delhi Cabinet on Monday approved the introduction of public health standards for primary urban health centres (PUHC) in Delhi. The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

The standards will allow one unit to be identified and upgraded to a PUHC. for every 50,000 population, This will provide the curative and preventive healthcare and basic lab services to people. The optimum management of existing resources will also be taken care of. It is estimated that the state will require 350 PUHCs for a population of around 175 lacs.

Dikshit said the intention was to improve the access to quality healthcare for all citizens and in particular the vulnerable sections of the society. The standards have been defined for provision of health services, laboratory services, convergence with related sectors, prevention and control of infection, capacity building of staff, community mobilization and community involvement.

A separate framework at the state, district and facility level will be implemented for systematic monitoring and evaluation of services offered. In a cabinet meeting on 14th August, 2006 it was decided to set up Delhi State Health Mission on the guidelines from the central government under the national rural health mission (NRHM). It was meant to to lay down standards for the primary and secondary healthcare and addressing the issue of multiplicity of agencies. As per that mandate the state government has determined the public health standards.