A unique combination of research and teaching starts today in New Delhi for an international project research on the topic of health insurance for the poorest people of India participation in Cologne. Thirty students from Germany, the Netherlands and India meet in the Indian capital with professors, international experts and representatives of India’s high-level politics and economy, for the greatest comparative survey households in this regard to assess. The project with the name “Strengthening Health Insurance Micro Units for the Poor in India” is funded by the European Commission. The University of Cologne (project coordinator), Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) are taking part.

The extension of health insurance also adapted for the poor of the population is a matter of great India. A World Bank study of 2002, is a quarter of Indians by the cost of hospitalization in poverty. A circumstance by insurance is easy to avoid, but access of the target population and its needs a challenge. Under the study, including the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) has been absorbed, 4,900 Indian households in seven different regions. In each of these regions, there is already a “Kleinstversicherer active, and the data obtained so far more than empirical comparison in this area is becoming possible. These include such topics as the demand for insurance benefits, supply, regulatory or reinsurance Kleinstversicherern. The objective of the survey is available Kleinstversicherer to strengthen and gain knowledge, as in the future in a development perspective, social and economic point of view of health insurance for the poor can be useful. It is based on the theoretical project preparatory work for taking over financial and administrative institution in 2002 under the name “Social Reinsurance” have been published (Dror / Preker (ed): Social Reinsurance. ILO / World Bank, 2002). The project will therefore give priority to guarantee a lasting effect. Policy Board, developing management software for Kleinstversicherungen and instruments tailored to support the Kleinstversicherung are at the forefront. Student participation in the project ensures that young professionals qualified in the future in this area, or search in occupations development of knowledge gained their implementation. The thirty projects students meet for four weeks at an international workshop on the campus of BIMTECH in Delhi. The trip includes for each student in addition to a trip to a week of parties Kleinstversicherer. Au programme: interviews with experts, discussions with Indian economic and insured experiences. The students, after their return by a diploma or Master Thesis on a sub-theme of the study.

Experts contend the project team on the field, such as Dr. Ruth Koren professor at the University of Tel-Aviv or Dr. Marion Danis by the National Institutes of Health (USA). Both accompany the group for a longer period. In addition, a number of other experts at conferences and enrich the high-level segment representing the Indian government in exchange contact with the group.