PHFI in talks with 12 state govts to set up 5 centres in India

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) today said it is considering offers from 12 state governments in for setting up five institutes, to strengthen the public health system in India, within the next 3-5 years.

''The PHFI board is considering offers from more than eight state governments in writing, and another four through verbal considerations. The first Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) will be ready by July 2008. However, we are yet to decide on the locations of the centres,'' AIIMS Cardiology Head of Department K Srinath Reddy, who has been appointed PHFI President at the second board meeting held today, said.

The states include West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Tripura, Maharashtra, Kerala, Jharkhand, Delhi and Haryana. Informal discussions are on with Uttar Pradesh.

Besides, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Principal Secratary to Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh have also been inducted into the governing board of PHFI today.

PHFI is currently focussing on building up a strong faculty pool and in the next 3-5 years, plans to create a group of 100 permanent faculty members.

''At present, we have selected 15 candidates from multi-disciplinary fields for this faculty development programme, and will be training 10,000 workers annually to work at the grass root levels. We are working closely with state governments and national programmes to ensure sufficient generation of skills,'' PHFI Chairman and McKinsey and Co Senior Partner Rajat Gupta said.

Among the courses that will be offered at the institutes are a two-year Masters in Public Health (MPH) and Doctoral programmes in various public health disciplines. The curriculum and the number and content of the courses will be finalised in the next six months.

Of the 15 candidates, 85 per cent are of Indian origin, and the remaining 15 per cent are non-Indians.

The Rs 200 crore corpus, that was set up in March this year to strengthen the public health system in India, has received the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs approval for one time contribution of Rs 65 crore by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations.

Besides, a group of Indians from all over the world will also contribute Rs 90 crore.

UNI RA PV BD1857