Through this combined financing of $1 billion, the Bank will support India’s flagship Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), launched in October 2021, to improve the public healthcare infrastructure across the country.
In addition to the national level interventions, one of the loans will prioritize seven states including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
"The COVID-19 outbreak has re-emphasized the urgency for significant reforms to improve health sector performance in India," said Hideki Mori, the World Bank’s Acting Country Director for India, in a press release on Tuesday.
"India’s decision to invest early and significantly to strengthen its health system even as it emerges from the pandemic, is a pioneering choice and we are pleased to support this important agenda," Mori added.
India’s performance in health has improved over time
According to World Bank estimates, India’s life expectancy—at 69.8 in 2020, up from 58 in 1990—is higher than the average for the country’s income level.The under-five mortality rate (36 per 1,000 live births), infant mortality rate (30 per 1,000 live births), and maternal mortality ratio (103 per 100,000 live births) are all close to the average for India’s income level, reflecting significant achievements in access to skilled birth attendance, immunizations, and other priority services.
Despite these advances in the health of the Indian population, COVID-19 has underscored the need for revitalizing, reforming, and developing capacity for core public health functions, as well as for improving the quality and comprehensiveness of health service delivery.
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