Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the World Bank proposes to provide financial assistance to India for the programme for newborn infants;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether such financial assistance for the said programme has been provided by World Bank in the past, if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the extent to which the said programme has succeeded in stabilising the rising population of the country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a) & (b): Yes, the financial assistance from the World Bank is being conceptualized for newborn infants. Interventions related to Newborn Infants are a part of a proposed project ‘Strategic Interventions to Enhance Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health Outcomes In India’.
As per the proposal prepared by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare following areas related to newborn and infant health have been proposed for assistance –
(1) Introduction of new vaccines
(2) Modernization and expansion of vaccines storage and supply chain management
In addition to this, setting up a ‘Centre of Excellence for newborn care’ is also proposed.
(c): The World Bank had provided financial assistance of SDR 245 million for the period 2006-2012 for the following areas under RCH Phase II:
(1) Improvement of essential RCH services
(2) Technical assistance, Monitoring and Evaluation
(3) Polio Eradication
(d): RCH-II comprised of various activities which were directly and indirectly contributing to population stabilization. The performance of programme (RCH-II) was satisfactory; however, there were more than one donor who had collectively supported the RCH pool.