Dehradun

$10 cr World Bank aid to State health services: MoU signed

PNS

To improve the health service in all 13 districts of the State under Uttarakhand health system development projects, World Bank has given $10 crore to Uttarakhand Government after a MoU involving the WB, the Centre and  Uttarakhand Government was inked on Tuesday.

While disclosing this, additional Chief Secretary to CM Omprakash said that the project contract was signed by Union finance department's joint secretary Rajkumar, project director Dr Neeraj Khairwal and WB executive director Hinsam Abdo Kaahin.

With the decks being cleared for the WB- aided health system projects, private health service provider would get financial help and  would provide medical assistance  to the people as per their need, he said, adding that it would  help them upgrade medical capability at the project health directorate and improve their information system while laying  emphasis on survey and research work. 

The district hospitals would be developed as the referral hospitals to the private hospitals and the community health centres  would accordingly  refer the patients after giving the required  medical aids to  them.

He further said that the specialist doctors would get incentives and facilities would reach the majority of the people with the WB-approved sum coming the way of the state.  

Joint secretary Rajkumar said that the project would help the people living in the remotest areas of the state to avail the  medical facilities. “The same is true for the  women and the elderly. Besides,  a system would be put  into place to  provide immediate medical help to the people  in times of disaster,” he added.

World Bank ED and operation manager Hinsam Abdo Kaahin said that Uttarakhand health index stands better  than the national average. He expressed hope that the people from the remote areas of the mountain  state and the economically unprivileged people would reap benefits.

Uttarkhand health system development project’s newly appointed team leader Dr Somit Nagpal said that the project would help the state  to go for qualitative  betterment of  the health service.