New Delhi: The World Bank and India on Friday, March 3,  agreed to two complementary USD 500 million loans to strengthen and sustain the nation's public healthcare system. For this, an agreement was signed by Rajat Kumar Mishra, additional secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, and Auguste Tano Kouamé, country director, India, World Bank.

The Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), which aims to develop public healthcare infrastructure throughout India, would be supported by this combined finance of USD 1 billion, as per the statement from the multilateral organisation.

One of the loans will prioritise the delivery of health services in seven states: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh in addition to the national level measures.

"The COVID-19 pandemic was a sharp reminder that pandemic preparedness is a global public benefit and brought to the fore the critical need for pandemic preparedness and health system strengthening around the world," stated Auguste Tano Kouamé. "The two initiatives complement India's decision to strengthen the resistance and readiness of the national health systems to upcoming pandemics. The populations of the states taking part in the initiatives will greatly profit from this, and this will have a good ripple effect on other states.

The USD 500 million Public Health Systems for Pandemic Preparedness Program (PHSPP), according to a statement from the World Bank, will aid the government's efforts to get India's surveillance system ready to identify and report epidemics that may be of concern to other countries, ensure a quick response, and stop the emergence of pathogens.
It will also improve India's capacity to identify pathogens, particularly zoonotic diseases, to guide India's biosecurity response and the commercialization of novel technology to stop, detect, or treat infectious diseases. For the programme to be implemented and to provide high-caliber results, strengthen institutional coordination and institutional capability of core public health institutions.

The USD 500 million Enhanced Health Service Delivery Program (EHSDP) will support the government's initiatives to improve service delivery through a primary healthcare model that has been redesigned. This model includes improved household access to primary healthcare facilities, stronger relationships between each household and its primary care facility through routine household visits, and risk assessment of non-communicable diseases.

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