Ibrd Aid For Medical Scheme Sought
The Union health ministry is negotiating with the World Bank for a Rs 3,000 crore health scheme to upgrade medical facilities at the district level in seven states in the country, Union minister of state for health and family welfare Salim Iqbal Shervani said yesterday.
The negotiations with the World Bank were expected to be completed in six to seven months, the minister said, departing from his prepared text while inaugurating a regional blood bank at the corporate K G Hospital here.
It is not possible for people to go to metropolitan cities for treatment and this scheme is aimed at giving special services at the district level, he said. Even if we can make a 10 to 15 per cent dent, we can rest assured that we have achieved something, he said. Later telling reporters about the scheme, he said the Union government had taken up a project to upgrade the facilities of state health services in four phases. PTI
The first phase had already been implemented in Andhra Pradesh with a total outlay of Rs 600 crore from last year and it was expected to be completed in 2001.