The Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project, launched in the month of November, 2021 seeks to improve health facilities in the state of Meghalaya. The World Bank and Government of India have signed a $ 40 million agreement to implement the project.
Aim of the Project
The purpose of the project is to improve the state’s ability to deal with health emergencies. This includes the COVID 19 pandemic. It expands the coverage of the state health insurance program. It improves diagnostics and efficient access to drugs. The project invests in infection prevention. This helps control future outbreaks, pandemics and health emergencies. This regulation aims to enhance the capabilities of state insurance agents. As the state’s medical services increase, so does biomedical waste. Improper disposal of such biomedical waste poses an environmental risk. In particular, Meghalaya is a country rich in biodiversity. There are several national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves. Therefore, the project will also invest in the safe disposal of all generated biomedical waste. This includes collection, separation and disinfection.
Benefits of this Project
Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project benefits staff in the secondary as well as primary health sectors. It develops their clinical skills and strengthens their planning skills. It will allow women to better use medical services. This project will help the Meghalaya Government monitor the quality of state medical services.
Significance of this Project
MHSSP will help enhance the effectiveness of the Meghalaya Health Insurance Program, known as the Meghalaya Health Insurance System (MHIS). MHIS currently covers 56 percent of Meghalaya households. With the merger of MHIS and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY), the program should offer a more comprehensive package and cover 100% of Meghalaya households. The merger will also help poor families reduce barriers to access to hospital services and avoid harmful costs. As an important strategy, MHSSP will also help move the health sector to a performance-based financing system. It aims to further improve the management of the system in order to provide high quality medical services. MHSSP also promotes synergies between different systems and helps expand the capabilities of state insurance agents.
Allocation of Funds
The project will introduce a performance-based financing system. This increases the accountability of central and state health subsidiaries. As part of the project, an internal resource allocation agreement will be signed between the Department of Health and Family Welfare and its subsidiaries.