Bhopal, Dec 10 : Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on Tuesday said he has urged the World Bank to conduct a thorough assessment of the state's current healthcare challenges.

He said the World Bank's study would provide a solid foundation for understanding the existing gaps in the healthcare system and implementing corrective measures.

Shukla, who is also the Health minister of Madhya Pradesh, informed that the delegation has assured to conduct an in-depth study on the state's healthcare system and will provide its report by March 2025.

Shukla made this statement after chairing a meeting with a delegation of the World Bank representatives here in Bhopal on Tuesday. "World Bank will conduct a comprehensive assessment and propose reforms to empower the state's healthcare system," he added.

During the meeting discussion held on various subjects pertaining to the state's health infrastructure, including the study of health indicators, the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and a geographical analysis of disease distribution.

He asserted that addressing the shortage of specialist doctors and other medical manpower in rural areas is a critical challenge that requires both medical and non-medical interventions.

Shukla stressed the importance of optimising the use of healthcare services and resources to ensure that these facilities are accessible to all sections of society.

"The state government is committed to providing timely, accessible, and high-quality healthcare services to every citizen in the state. All possible efforts are being made to strengthen our health infrastructures," Shukla said.

He informed me that the state government has decided to develop community health centres (CHCs) into first referral units (FRUs) with advanced systems and adequate manpower required for it.

Additionally, medical colleges are being expanded, and large-scale recruitments are being carried out to strengthen the healthcare workforce. He reiterated that these measures aim to improve healthcare delivery and elevate the state's health indicators.

/IANS