Externally Aided Projects - Health & Family Welfare Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu

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A brief note on each of the Externally Aided Projects namely World Bank (RCH Project) and DANIDA projects functioning within the Health Department.

1. DANIDA ASSISTED TAMILNADU AREA HEALTH CARE PROJECT - PHASE III

Phase? I? of the DANIDA Tamil Nadu Area Health Care? Project? was implemented from August 1981 to October 1987 at an outlay of? Rs. 19.48? crores? in the erstwhile combined districts of? Salem? and South Arcot. Phase II was implemented in four districts viz. Salem, Namakkal, Cuddalore and Villupuram from 1989 to 1996 at a total expenditure of 24.77 crores. Phase? III? of this project, currently in? progress,? covers? the? districts? of Dharmapuri, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam and? Thiruvarur for most of? the activities, extends some of the activities to the old districts of Salem, Namakkal, Cuddalore & Villupuram and supports some state level activities like training, drug supply logistics etc., at? a total outlay of?? Rs. 59.10 crores (including direct? funding of Rs. 6.00 crores) over a period of five years. The agreement for the third phase was signed on 24.12.96 and the administrative sanction obtained from Government of India on? 05.09.97. The? overall objective of this project is to improve? the? health and family welfare status of the rural population in the? project area, especially of the weaker sections. With a view to improving and? strengthening the facilities for the delivery of health? and family? welfare services in an integrated manner? in accordance with? the National Health Policy, various external? agencies? are providing? financial assistance to the Government of Tamilnadu. DANIDA? is? a? major bilateral donor in the Health? Sector.? The funding is on reimbursement basis with 85% share by DANIDA, 5% by Government of India and 10% by Government of Tamilnadu. Now the project is in the process of obtaining the revised escalated project cost of Rs 70.70 crores and extends the project period till December 2002. The government of India gave an interim extension upto 22.08.2002.

2. REPRODUCTIVE AND CHILD HEALTH PROJECT

The International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in 1994 had recommended a holistic approach to women's health and recommended the implementation of Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) project with the following objective.

"People have the ability to reproduce and regulate their fertility, women are able to go through pregnancy and child birth safely, the outcome of pregnancies is successful? in terms of maternal and infant survival and well being and couples are able to have sexual relations free of fear of pregnancy and contracting diseases".

In keeping with this concept the Project was set up to provide to the beneficiaries, need? based, client-centered, demand -driven high quality and integrated RCH services.

Project implementation:

The RCH is being? implemented in Tamil Nadu under two Components:

(i) A sub project covering Madurai and Theni districts (both in rural and urban areas)

(ii) A state level component (State Implementation Plan)which will cater to the infrastrucature needs of all the remaining districts in the state.

The sub project implementation commenced from 1997-98 for a period of five years with an overall World Bank financial outlay of Rs.23.14 crores (Rs.15.24 Crores for rural and Rs.7.90 crores for urban) for Madurai and theni Districts.

The State Implementation Plan (SIP) is being implemented in all the remaining districts of Tamil Nadu with the approval of Government of India and with World Bank assistance for specified activities on MCH.

Objectives

The broad objectives of the sub project in Madurai and Theni districts are:

i. To improve the health status women,adolescents? and children.
ii. To improve the quality of health seeking behaviour of women.
iii. To increase the credibility of service providers through improved quality of service.

The specific objectives of the sub project in Madurai and Theni districts are :

i.?? Reduction in Infant Mortality Rate to less than 50 per 1000 live births and maternal mortality rate to less than 1 per 1000 pregnancy.?
ii.? Significant reduction in infant morbidity, especially that due to diarrhoea and ARI
iii. Significant reduction in maternal morbidity
iv. Improved Medical Termination of Pregnancy services and reduction in pregnancy wastages
v.? Reduction in incidence of RTI and STIs
vi. Elimination of infanticide.??????

The Government of India have so far released Rs.12.25 crores to implement sub project in Madurai and Theni districts. The amount alloted for the entire project period is Rs.23.14 crores.

3. AIDS Control Programme:

The AIDS Control Programme has been headed and implemented by The Project Officer, State Aids Control Society, Chennai 8, in the state. The Director of Medical Education is the co-coordinator, at the state level for monitoring and implementing the programme and the Joint Director of Health Services of the Districts in their respective districts. 48 STD clinics are sanctioned and functioning in Government Hospitals.