India has signed a Financing Agreement of National Vector Borne Disease Control and Polio Eradication Support Project with the World Bank, here today. The agreement is for a total assistance of approximately US $ 518 million as part of IDA allocation to India. The project aims at enhancing the effectiveness of government response to control malaria, eliminate kala azar and eradicate polio. This will be achieved by increasing the number of people benefiting from effective prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for malaria and kala azar, and vaccination against polio.

The project will have four components viz., "Improving Access to and Use of Services for Control of Malaria", "Improving Access to and Use of Services for Elimination of Kala Azar", "Policy and Strategy Development, Capacity Building and Monitoring and Evaluation" and "Improving Polio vaccine availability".

The Agreement was signed by Dr. Alok Sheel, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of Government of India (GOI) and Mr. Rachid Benmesssaoud Operations Adviser, World Bank (India), signed on behalf of the World Bank. The closing date of the project is 31.12.2013.

Financing agreement expands international support for integrated vector-borne disease control and polio vaccination access. A Financing Agreement between the Government of India and the World Bank funds the National Vector Borne Disease Control and Polio Eradication Support Project to strengthen government response to malaria, kala azar and polio by expanding access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination services through four components including service access, elimination efforts, policy and capacity building, monitoring and vaccine availability, within a specified project timeframe.