In a move to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh’s remote regions, a Shimla-based central public sector enterprise has joined hands with a private research institute to launch mobile medical units (MMUs). According to an official statement, SJVN Limited, a joint venture between the Central and Himachal Pradesh governments, has signed an agreement with Piramal Swasthya Management & Research Institute (PSMRI) to introduce MMUs across various project areas in the northeastern state.
The agreement was formalized in Shimla in the presence of SJVN Foundation Chairman Ajay Kumar Sharma. Speaking at the event, Sharma emphasized that this collaboration would significantly improve access to essential healthcare services for communities in remote areas with limited medical infrastructure.
As the CSR and sustainability wing of SJVN, the SJVN Foundation will oversee the initiative. The MMUs, expected to become operational in the coming months, will offer primary healthcare services, including free medical consultations, diagnostic tests, medicines, and emergency care.
Equipped with essential medical facilities, these mobile units aim to bridge critical healthcare gaps and ensure medical support reaches under served populations, the statement added.
What is Mobile Medical Units?
The Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) initiative, implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM)—which now integrates both the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM)—plays a crucial role in expanding healthcare access. It specifically targets populations in remote, underserved, and hard-to-reach areas, ensuring essential medical services are brought directly to their doorsteps. The initiative is designed to provide healthcare locally rather than facilitate patient transfers.
Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) are structured to meet the technical and service quality standards of a Primary Health Centre (PHC) and offer a comprehensive set of healthcare services across 12 key thematic areas. These include Maternal Health, Neonatal and Infant Care, Child and Adolescent Health, Reproductive Health and Contraceptive Services, Management of Chronic Communicable Diseases, Treatment of Common Communicable Diseases and Basic OPD Services for Acute Simple Illnesses, Non-Communicable Disease Management, Mental Health Services, Dental Care, Eye/ENT Care, Geriatric Care, and Emergency Medicine.
By delivering a broad spectrum of medical services, (Mobile Medical Units MMUs) serve as a critical healthcare outreach strategy, ensuring timely medical intervention for vulnerable communities in both rural and urban settings.These services are offered at no cost through MMUs, along with referral support when needed.
Each Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) typically consists of a single vehicle. However, in cases where multiple vehicles are required:
- The first vehicle transports medical and paramedical personnel.
- The second vehicle carries medical equipment, accessories, and basic laboratory facilities.
- The third vehicle is equipped with diagnostic tools such as an X-ray machine, ultrasound, ECG machine, and a generator.
MMU deployment follows a population-based criterion, with one MMU allocated per 10 lakh people, up to a maximum of five MMUs per district. However, exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis if existing MMUs serve more than 60 patients per day in plain areas or 30 patients per day in hilly regions. Such relaxations are granted based on the evaluation of proposals submitted by the respective states.
Financial support for MMUs covers both capital and operational expenses, within the prescribed financial limits. The approved operational cost for an MMU with a diagnostic van is ₹24 lakh, while for North Eastern states, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, it is ₹28 lakh.
Each MMU is recommended to have a dedicated team comprising one medical officer, one nurse, one lab technician, one pharmacist-cum-administrative assistant, and one driver who also serves as support staff.
