The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $286 million financing package to support a large-scale health system reform programme in West Bengal, aimed at improving quality of life and life expectancy for more than 90 million people through expanded and more equitable access to quality healthcare.
West Bengal has recorded steady health improvements over the past two decades. Infant mortality declined from 32 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2010–12 to 19 in 2018–20, while the state’s total fertility rate fell to 1.64 births per woman in 2019, among the lowest in India. Life expectancy in the state has risen to 72 years, exceeding the national average. Despite these gains, challenges persist in maternal, reproductive, and adolescent health outcomes.
West Bengal continues to report the second-highest rate of adolescent pregnancies in the country at 16 percent, contributing to a maternal mortality ratio of 103 deaths per 100,000 live births during 2018–20. Districts such as Purulia, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Maldah and Uttar Dinajpur remain particularly vulnerable.
The World Bank–supported West Bengal Health System Reform Program will focus on strengthening personalized and patient-centric healthcare services across the state, particularly for individuals over 30 years of age. Key interventions include digital tracking and management of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, improved measurement of health outcomes, and enhanced governance of health services. The programme also aims to strengthen the climate resilience of healthcare facilities to withstand extreme weather events.
In addition, the initiative will support the expansion of gender-based violence response services, with targeted interventions for adolescents, married youth, boys, and healthcare providers. Special emphasis will be placed on reducing inequities in maternal and adolescent healthcare in the five high-burden districts of Purulia, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Maldah and Uttar Dinajpur.
The financing will be provided through a loan from the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) with a final maturity of 16.5 years, including a grace period of three years.
The programme is expected to contribute to improved health outcomes, greater equity in service delivery, and a more resilient healthcare system across West Bengal.
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