On June 4, 2019, The Government of India, Tamil Nadu and the World Bank signed a $287 million loan agreement for the state’s Health System Reform Programme in New Delhi. It is aimed to improve the quality of health care, reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and fill equity gaps in reproductive and child health services.
Key Points:
- The agreement for the Project was signed by Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India, Beela Rajesh, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu and Hisham Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank India, on behalf of the World Bank.
- Tamil Nadu has been ranked third among all Indian States in the NITI Aayog Health Index.
- The State’s maternal mortality rate has declined from 90 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2005 to 62 deaths in 2015-16 where as infant mortality has declined from 30 deaths per 1000 live births to 20 in the same period.
- The state government has a growing burden of NCDs. They account for nearly 69% of deaths. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Program will support the State Government to develop clinical protocols and guidelines; achieve national accreditation for primary, secondary and tertiary-level health facilities in the public sector; strengthen physicians, nurses and paramedics through continuous medical education; strengthen the feedback loop between citizens and the state by making quality and other data accessible to the public.
- The programme will aim to strengthen physicians, nurses and paramedics through continuous medical education; strengthening the feedback loop between citizens and the state by making quality and other data accessible to the public.
About Tamil Nadu:
♦ Capital: Chennai
♦ Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
♦ Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
♦ National Parks: Guindy National Park, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) National Park, Mudumalai National Park, Mukurthi National Park
♦ Wildlife Sanctuaries: Cauvery North WLS, Chitrangudi Bird WLS, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) WLS, Kanyakumari WLS, Pulicat Lake WLS, Sakkarakottai WLS etc.