The World Bank has approved a loan of USD one billion to provide support to India’s flagship PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission(PM-ABHIM), Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The loan cleared on June 28, 2022 comprises two complementary loans of USD 500 million each namely for “Transforming India’s Public Health Systems for Pandemic Preparedness Program (PHSPP)” and “India’s Enhanced Health Service Delivery Program (EHSDP)”, Mandaviya said in a written reply.

Through this, the World Bank will provide support to India’s flagship PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission(PM-ABHIM).

The PHSPP aims to increase the resilience and preparedness of India’s health system for a pandemic and to support activities including strengthening existing health units at points of entry and establishing new health units at PoEs.

It also aimed for setting up of BSL-3 labs, Regional Research Platforms and zonal institutes for the National Institutes of Virology, the establishment of Health Emergency Operation Centre and metropolitan health surveillance units and the strengthening of surveillance system among others.

The EHSDP aims to support comprehensive primary health care service delivery in some prioritised states.

It will support such activities including strengthening service delivery through a redesigned comprehensive primary health care model i.e. Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) for improved household access to primary healthcare facilities.

It will also help in improving comprehensive quality of care by supporting the quality assurance standards certification across Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs), strengthening the health workforce and Block level public health units (BPHUs).

Various components of the PM-ABHIM aim to benefit all the states and UTs across the country wherein besides regular budgetary support, support from World Bank will be utilised for effective implementation of the identified activities, Pawar said.