WB support to improve healthcare

The World Bank approved a US$ 24 million IDA credit providing further support to the Government's health service delivery program, with particular emphasis on the special health needs in the North and the East arising out of the recent conflict.

With the end of the military conflict, Sri Lanka is now facing the challenges of resettlement and reconstruction within the context of reconciliation.

An immediate challenge is to provide basic health services to the conflict-affected populations in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, including around 280,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently residing in temporary camps.

"Half the project's amount namely US$ 12 million, will go to the Northern and the Eastern Provinces to help them meet their special health needs arising from the conflict.

The US$ 24 million is additional financing to Health Sector Development Project (HSDP), currently financed by an IDA grant of US$ 60 billion which was approved by the bank on June 15, 2004.

The project will continue to support decentralisation of health service delivery, including strengthening of district and provincial capacity for planning and implementation of health programs.

It will also support efforts to improve service delivery and renovate health facilities, provide training for health workers, and provision of medical supplies and equipment.

"The project has been helping the provincial and district level authorities in taking greater responsibility for the primary and secondary level healthcare," said Sundararajan Srinivasa Gopalan, World Bank team leader for the project .

"This results in programs that are more responsive to the needs of the local communities."

The project will also help the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition become more effective in its use of evidence base and information systems for policy, planning, monitoring and management.

The credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's concessionary lending arm, has 20 years to maturity with a 10-year grace period.