The German government through KfW Development Bank has committed 7.5 million euros as a grant to improve the lives of mothers and children in various provinces and regions of Pakistan. The grant has been given to the provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab as well as to Fata and GB.
To mark the kick-off ceremony of the three year reproductive health project, an event was held on April 25th, 2017 at a local hotel in Islamabad. Participants included Deputy Secretary Economic Affairs Division Naveed Shinwari, KfW Director Wolfgang Moellers and the chief executive officers of the four implementing organisations Greenstar Social Marketing, DKT International, Rahnuma /FPAP and Agha Khan Foundation.
Development cooperation between Pakistan and Germany goes back to 1961 exceeding 3 billion euros. In the health sector, KFW Development Bank invests on behalf of the German government in health programmes to improve the mother and child health, reconstruct hospitals in AJK, support social health protection schemes in KP and GB, finance safe blood transfusion systems nationwide and immunisation programmes.
In Pakistan 25% of married women have an unmet need for family planning. Maternal mortality remains high, at an estimated 276 deaths per 100,000 live births. Infant mortality remains at 78 deaths per 1,000 live births. In order to assist, the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through KfW Development Bank provides funding for marketed products and services for family planning, reproductive health, mother and child health, nutritional supplements for children and safe water.
The main features of the project are to construct and renovate a number of basic health facilities and maternity wards. A network of healthcare providers shall be developed and health workers, community midwives and mobilisers be trained. In addition, village health committees will be established and e-health technology to connect selected primary health centers with higher healthcare facilities are going to be introduced.
Speaking on the occasion, the deputy secretary EAD thanked KFW for providing vital support to Pakistan specially to address this critically important issue of reproductive health. He ensured that Pakistan is fully committed to mobilise efforts and scale up practices for reproductive health issues.
Wolfgang Moellers thanked EAD for its support and appreciated the efforts of partner NGOs for their exemplary work in helping families.
