Thiruvananthapuram: The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank approved a new programme on Friday to improve the life expectancy and quality of life for more than 11 million elderly and vulnerable people in Kerala by providing better access to health coverage.
The Kerala Health System Improvement Programme will help provide a more comprehensive health system resistant to climate shocks through a loan of $280 million. It is also expected to strengthen the state’s digital health systems through its expanded eHealth services, integrated data platforms, and enhanced cybersecurity.
The objective of the programme is to treat and support over 90 per cent of patients registered for hypertension and diabetes in the state using individual electronic tracking mechanisms. It will also establish a home-based care model for bedridden, homebound and vulnerable elderly patients to ensure accessible health services.
“In Kerala, women have one of the highest educational attainments in the country and can contribute more to the state’s economic growth with optimum health. The programme will ensure a 40 per cent increase in patients whose hypertension is controlled and a 60 per cent increase in cervical and breast cancer screening for women to accelerate efforts to end preventable deaths,” Paul Procee, the World Bank’s Acting Country Director for India, said.
The state has achieved sustained health gains for over two decades. It saw improvements in neonatal (3.4 per 1,000 live births), infant (4.4 per 1,000 live births), under-five mortality (5.2 per 1,000 live births), and maternal mortality (19 per 100,000 live births) rates.
Higher literacy rates, public health awareness, and decentralised governance are attributed to its success. However, the state currently faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer and an ageing population, which is straining the health system.
The programme will engage local government bodies such as gram panchayats and municipal corporations to adopt standard protocols and procedures for antibiotic use and to address zoonotic disease outbreaks by fast-tracking reliable laboratory information for patients.
Primary health facilities in the districts of Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kasaragod, Palakkad, and Alappuzha will also adopt climate-led solutions to improve energy efficiency and manage extreme heat and floods.
The $280 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a final maturity of 25 years, with a five-year grace period.
(With IANS inputs)
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