ADB approves $500M loan to improve access to quality health care and medical education in India

To integrate gender and social inclusion in medical education, ADB will support the state to create a gender unit under the Medical Education and Drugs Department.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a loan package of $500 million to improve access to quality and affordable tertiary health care and medical education in Maharashtra, India.

"ADB has been working with the state government of Maharashtra to achieve its vision of providing affordable and accessible tertiary health care to all by 2030 and strengthen a cadre of quality and professional medical practitioners," said ADB Health Specialist Nishant Jain. "This program introduces key policy reforms to strengthen the state's tertiary health care and medical education. It will also expand medical education and health facilities to provide modern medical services in underserved areas in the state."

The Maharashtra Tertiary Care and Medical Education Sector Development Program will establish four medical colleges attached with tertiary care teaching hospitals incorporating climate- and disaster-resilient, gender-responsive, and socially inclusive features in underserved districts. It will increase bed capacity in government tertiary care hospitals and hire at least 500 new doctors for four new governmental medical colleges.

ADB is helping the state create an enabling environment through policy actions for recruiting and retaining quality doctors and staff through performance-based incentives, a new talent management policy, and establishing India's first state-led health care and medical education centers of excellence. It also aims to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure through better availability of quality drugs; support efficient management of assets and their sustainability through a first of its kind policy in Indian health sector on climate-resilient asset planning, management, and sustainability; and develop healthy competition among medical colleges through performance management system.

To integrate gender and social inclusion in medical education, ADB will support the state to create a gender unit under the Medical Education and Drugs Department.