Word Bank shows interest in Nagaland’s new health project

The World Bank has expressed keen interest in providing support for the upcoming Nagaland Health System Strengthening Project (NHSSP) following the successful implementation of the Nagaland Health Project (NHP), which was aided by the organization. This announcement was made during a meeting between World Bank Country Director Auguste Tano Kouame and Nagaland's Health and Family Welfare Minister P Paiwang Konyak, held at the World Bank office in New Delhi on Friday.

During the meeting, Kouame assured Minister Konyak that he would recommend to the Government of India to extend support for the new project. Kouame commended the NHP team for the successful execution of the previous project, stating that despite taking over as the country director recently, he was already aware of the positive outcomes achieved. He expressed gratitude towards the Nagaland government and the state's health and family welfare department for their efforts.

Kouame also suggested that the proposed project could help the state generate fiscal revenue, engage the private sector through public-private partnerships (PPP), and create employment opportunities through pre-service training. He further encouraged the organization of virtual meetings with other states and countries funded by the World Bank to showcase the best practices implemented under the NHP.

Minister Konyak expressed his gratitude to the World Bank for its support, particularly in the health sector. He acknowledged the challenges faced by the state's health sector and appreciated the bank's assistance in the successful implementation of the NHP, as evident from the visible improvements achieved. Konyak emphasized that addressing health issues is a complex task requiring sustained efforts, and he appealed to the World Bank to provide continuous support.

Y Kikheto Sema, the Commissioner and Secretary of the state's Health and Family Welfare Department, also extended his gratitude to the World Bank for funding various projects in Nagaland, including those in the health, education, and agriculture sectors. Sema explained that the proposed NHSSP aims to bridge the infrastructure gaps in health centers and provide adequate housing for healthcare workers. He emphasized that the state government's vision of delivering affordable and accessible healthcare to its citizens relies heavily on the availability of robust infrastructure facilities.