30 September,2026 08:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational image. File pic
During the Ganeshotsav 2026, more than 2.59 lakh devotees and citizens benefited from free medical and health services provided across Mumbai under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's âShri Ganesha Arogyacha' initiative.
As per the officials, the campaign was jointly implemented through the Chief Minister's Medical Assistance Fund and the Mumbai Mayor's Medical Assistance Fund between September 14 and 25, with health services being provided through civic health facilities and camps organised at public Ganesh mandals.
According to the BMC, a total of 5,740 health screening sessions were conducted during the campaign. As many as 2,59,006 citizens, comprising 1,38,492 men and 1,20,514 women, availed themselves of the services.
The initiative covered 189 BMC clinics, 250 Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray (HBT) Aapla clinics and 83 Urban Primary Health and Wellness Centres (UHWC). Health camps were also organised at 255 public Ganesh mandals, while non-communicable disease screening was conducted at 255 locations in various corporator wards.
Of the total beneficiaries, 11,218 devotees underwent health screening at the 255 camps organised in association with public Ganesh mandals.
Another 84,142 citizens availed themselves of services at 189 civic hospitals, while 83,061 visited 250 HBT Aapla clinics. A further 37,727 citizens were screened at 83 civic health centres.
The BMC while issuing an official statement asserted, "Non-communicable disease screening conducted at various locations in corporator wards benefited 42,858 citizens."
The civic body also conducted tests for several communicable diseases during the campaign. A total of 21,405 people were screened for fever, 1,326 for gastro-related symptoms, 4,752 suspected tuberculosis cases and 15,449 blood samples were collected for malaria testing.
During the campaign, the BMC also focused on the early detection of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
According to the BMC, 32,428 citizens were screened for high blood pressure, leading to the detection of 1,660 new hypertension cases.
Similarly, 22,805 people were screened for diabetes, with 1,057 new cases identified.
Following the various screenings, 2,229 patients requiring further examination and treatment were referred to BMC hospitals, officials said.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde thanked the city's Ganesh mandals, citizens and the BMC health department for their participation in the initiative.
Tawde said the health services were made available near Ganeshotsav venues with the aim of ensuring that devotees visiting Ganesh idols could access medical services alongside their festival activities.
Ritu Tawde also highlighted that BMC medical officers, nurses and health workers worked throughout the festival to implement the campaign.
