WB approves $46m for child healthcare in K-P

Approximately 300,000 children will benefit from the grants

ISLAMABAD:

The World Bank has approved $46 million to enhance access to child healthcare services and improve citizen-centred service delivery in selected districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The financing was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors as part of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Citizen Centred Service Delivery Project.

According to World Bank press statement, the project aims to address both the supply and demand sides of healthcare delivery in the province and improve the functioning of citizen-centric administrative facilitation centres in the Newly Merged Districts.

“The Project will support the government in expanding the provision of Child Wellness Grants targeted at mothers, provided they attend health awareness sessions. It will also help improve access to quality child health-related services,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan.

Approximately 300,000 children under the age of two will benefit from Child Welfare Grants (CWGs) under the project. To alleviate financial barriers, families of these children will receive Rs12,500 (approximately $45) spread over five visits for attending health awareness sessions and growth monitoring of their child.

The project will also assist the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government in adopting a one-window operation model for Citizen Facilitation Centres (CFC) to facilitate essential service delivery to the local population.

In addition to providing Child Wellness Grants, the CFCs offer vital services such as registration of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and family registrations. Around 560,000 individuals are expected to benefit from the services provided at the CFCs.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2023.

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