Jharkhand to strengthen healthcare services in 13 districts through three-year partnership with Tata Steel Foundation

Photo: RP

Ranchi: Public healthcare services in 13 districts of Jharkhand are set to receive a boost following a three-year partnership between the National Health Mission (NHM), Jharkhand, and the Tata Steel Foundation. The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve the quality of healthcare delivery, strengthen the functioning of health facilities and enhance administrative systems across the state.

Under the agreement, the Tata Steel Foundation will continue its Maternal and Newborn Survival Initiative Plus (MANSI+) in East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan. In 10 other districts — Dumka, Jamtara, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Khunti, Lohardaga, Gumla and Simdega — the foundation will support healthcare improvements through Project Swasth (State-wide Alliance for Sustainable Transformation of Health).

The foundation will provide strategic, technical and managerial assistance to the NHM and the Jharkhand government's Department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare. It will also support the monitoring and implementation of healthcare programmes.

The partnership will focus on six key areas: service delivery at health facilities, community-level healthcare, health administration, human resources, supply chain management, and health financing through public-private partnerships. It will also promote innovative models and digital technologies to improve maternal, newborn, infant, child and adolescent health, along with nutrition services.

The MoU was signed by Jharkhand Director of Health Services Dr Prabhat Kumar and Tata Steel Foundation Chief Operating Officer Debdoot Mohanty. NHM Jharkhand Mission Director Shashi Prakash Jha (IAS), along with senior officials from the state government, NHM and the foundation, attended the signing ceremony.

The three-year collaboration aims to expand access to quality healthcare in the 13 districts and improve health outcomes, particularly in areas related to maternal and child mortality.