Japan Fund backs ADB effort to boost primary healthcare in India

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<strong>The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) has approved a $2 million technical assistance grant to support an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-financed programme that aims to strengthen the comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) system in urban areas across India.</strong></p>
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A statement issued by the ADB said that the $2 million grant is aligned with the ADB-supported $300 million CPHC under the Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PM-ASBY) which is now renamed Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).</p>
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“Interventions through the program will promote increased utilization of urban Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) and improve access to comprehensive primary health care in urban areas of 13 states that will benefit over 256 million urban dwellers including 51 million from slum areas,” the statement added.</p>
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The JFPR grant is expected to support activities that strengthen the capacity to deliver accessible and quality urban CPHC services for noncommunicable diseases besides streamlining pandemic response. It will also support community outreach, private sector participation and monitor the programme implementation progress.</p>
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JFPR was established in 2000 to support ADB projects that directly address the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable groups in Asia and the Pacific.</p>
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The ADB has been proactive in providing support to India in its efforts to contain the Covid 19 pandemic.</p>
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In 2020, the multilateral agency committed $3.92 billion in sovereign loans for 13 projects in India, including $1.8 billion in Covid- 19 related projects to support the Centre’s pandemic response.</p>