India, World Bank agree on health fund

(February 14, 2009) India has signed an agreement with World Bank which will help the nation get US$518 million assistance for projects aiming to fight several diseases. The Financing Agreement of National Vector Borne Disease Control and Polio Eradication Support Project was signed on February 13 in New Delhi, said a government release. The agreement is for a total assistance of approximately US $ 518 million as part of IDA allocation to India. The project aims at enhancing the effectiveness of government response to control malaria, eliminate kala azar and eradicate polio. This will be achieved by increasing the number of people benefiting from effective prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for malaria and kala azar, and vaccination against polio. Two the four components of the projects are to improve access to and use of services for control of Malaria and Kala Azar. The third aims to improve Polio vaccine availability while the fourth is for capacity building and monitoring and evaluation.