Addressing the annual meet of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here today, Gandhi said that the government's Natinonal Rural Health Mission (NHRM), which is into the third year of operation now, is yet to overcome the implementation hurdles completely.
"There are difficulties, especially in the Northern part of the country to successfully implement the programme. The private sector has a definite and growing role in rural healthcare programmes. The government will encourage such projects", she said.
The CII session also saw the industry chamber announce the launch of 'CII Healthy Villages Project' that aims at aggregating the CSR (corporate social responsibility) efforts of multiple corporates to create effective partnerships in selected villages.
Naresh Trehan, chairman, CII task force on rural health, said that the project will initially target the introduction of such programmes in 100 villages during 2008-09. Twelve corporates, including Hero Honda, Sriram Group, Hindustan Times and Jubilant have already committed to support 54 villages in North India, Trehan said.
While these corporates would help the villages develop basic infrastructure facilities, Indian Healthcare Federation, the association of corporate hospitals of the country will provide mobile healthcare services and telemedicine systems in these areas. Coca Cola and Punj Lyod have agreed to support safe drinking water projects in these villages. The corporates that are to support primary education in these centres include Hindustan Computers (supply of computers), NIIT (computer education) and Luxor (distribution of education aids).
Gandhi wanted the corporate to integrate health insurance schemes to such projects and also involve more and more corporates into similar programmes.
