Mizoram Government to Sign $108 Million Loan Agreement with ADB to Strengthen Public Healthcare Schemes

Aizawl:TheMizoram governmentwill soon sign a loan agreement worth $108 million with theAsian Development Bank(ADB) to implement and strengthen public healthcare schemes in the state, Health Minister Lalrinpuii said on Tuesday.The Asian Development Bank approved the $108 million loan (approximately Rs 980 crore) on December 5 under the ‘Supporting Public Healthcare System Strengthening to Achieve Universal Health Care for Mizoram’ project, she said.She added that the Centre will repay 90 per cent of the loan amount, while the state government will repay the remaining 10 per cent within 15 years.“Although the ADB has approved the loan, the government will sign the formal loan agreement once the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) fixes a date. As the Centre will repay 90 per cent of the loan amount, it will significantly reduce the state’s expenditure on implementing the Mizoram Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS),” Lalrinpuii told a press conference here.Once the loan agreement is signed, the authorities will release Rs 21 crore within a month based on the existing Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI), she said.The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government, led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, launched the MUHCS in March to provide Rs 5 lakh annual coverage for cashless treatment at government hospitals and empanelled private and church-run hospitals. The scheme became operational in April.According to Mizoram Health Care Society Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lalhriatzuali Ralte, 65,193 families, including 36,323 families of government employees and 8,733 families of civil pensioners, have registered under the scheme in the current financial year.In addition, over 2.20 lakh families registered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) are also eligible to avail benefits under the scheme, she said.Lalrinpuii said that 59,602 beneficiaries have so far benefited from the MUHCS, with the government spending over Rs 100 crore on healthcare expenses under the scheme.She added that state-run hospitals treated 68.56 per cent of beneficiaries and accounted for 43.47 per cent of the total healthcare expenditure.The minister said the government is making concerted efforts to strengthen the healthcare system by upgrading infrastructure and improving manpower.She said the state government has upgraded the lone Zoram Medical College and Hospital (ZMCH) to 520 beds with 40 cabins and increased the number of intensive care units from 13 to 26.She added that the government is strengthening and upgrading Aizawl Civil Hospital, the state’s largest civil hospital, with additional facilities under the Aizawl Smart City project.The health minister said Aizawl Civil Hospital will soon conduct kidney transplants after the completion of the operating theatre.Nephrologists and other healthcare professionals will undergo training at Tagore Hospital in Kolkata in January next year, after which kidney transplants will begin at the hospital, she added.Related