Punjab Health Systems Corporation is a part of the Worldbank project implemented in the States of Karnataka, Punjab and West Bengal. The objectives of the project are to assist the Governments of Karnataka, Punjab and West Bengal to:

(i) improve efficiency in the allocation and use of health resources through policy and institutional development; and

(ii) improve the performance of the health care system through improvements in the quality, effectiveness and coverage at the first referral level and selective coverage at the primary level to better serve the neediest sections of society.

The ultimate goal of the project would be to improve the health status of the people, especially the poor, by reducing mortality and morbidity.

The total cost of the project is estimated at about Rs.16,691.4 million or US$416.7 million equivalent, including taxes and duties estimated at US$22.2 million equivalent.

The project costs in Karnataka, Punjab and West Bengal would be US$136.4 million, US$106.1 million and US$174.2 million respectively. IDA would finance about US$350.0 million or about 88.7 percent of total project costs net of taxes; the balance of US$66.7 million would be financed by the Governments of the three project states, Karnataka (US$.0 million), Punjab (US$16.4 million) and West Bengal (US$.3 million). The direct and indirect foreign exchange cost is estimated at US$94.6 million. The project is financing civil works, equipment & furniture, vehicles, medical and laboratory supplies, medicines, other supplies, MIS/IEC supplies, professional services, training, studies and evaluations, workshops, and operational expenses and salaries of incremental staff on a declining basis. Retroactive Financing. Retroactive financing in the amount of US$10 million, about 2.8 percent of the proposed credit, is provided to cover eligible expenditures incurred in implementing appraised project activities after May 1, 1995. Retroactive financing in support of project preparation would support initial staff appointments, technical survey of the existing hospitals under the project including topographical site surveys and soil tests, preparation of preliminary designs, and initial construction activities

As the consultant Biomedical Engineer (1997-1998), I carried out the following activities for Punjab Health Systems Corporation, Chandigarh:-

• Framed specifications of over 150 Medical Instruments ranging from sphygmomanometers through Ultrasound Scanners to hospital furniture for procurement.
• Technically evaluated tenders (International and National); represented technical community in the evaluation committees/meetings.
• Carried out inspections (of the medical instruments) before their delivery.
• Evaluated medical instruments after the demonstrations by various manufacturers, to certify the equivalence of the medical instrument w.r.t. the requirements of PHSC.
• Estimated the need of getting the existing medical instruments repaired. Floated and awarded the equipment repair contracts to third party service providers.
• Designed and conducted training programs for the doctors, paramedical, technicians.