India to receive $300 million loan from ADB to improve its primary healthcare

On Tuesday, the Indian government signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to receive a $300 million loan with an objective to strengthen and improve its primary health care in the urban areas of 13 states, which will be beneficial for 256 millions people that includes 51 million slum people.

Mr. Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance, after signing the loan agreement said that the idea is to support the key health initiatives of the Government of India and ensure its availability to vulnerable population living in the urban areas. 

The programme that would be kick-started with this loan would be implemented in the urban of 13 states, including Gujarat, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chhatisharh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana. This programme will be further supported by a $2 million technical assistance grant from ADB’s Japan Fund.