U.S.-Sponsored Health Program Brings Affordable Healthcare to Uttar Pradesh

August 23, 2007

LUCKNOW –The United States government and the Government of Uttar Pradesh today launched a healthcare program under which 700 hospitals in the state will provide uniform quality health services at less than half the market cost.

Sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the “Merrygold Health Network” program will provide quality health care, including family planning, outpatient services and pediatric care, as well as immunizations.

The program addresses the reproductive and child health needs in Uttar Pradesh, where maternal mortality is the highest in the country and infant mortality the third highest. The program aims at facilitating more than 80,000 safe child deliveries in the next three years.

Under the Merrygold Health Network program, healthcare services will be available at less than 50 percent of the market cost.