Helping hand: Japan pledges Rs9m for mother, child health unit

Shehri Ijtamai Taraqiati Council for the construction of a mother and child primary health unit in Mandi Bahauddin

Japanese government will extend financial support of $106,973 (Rs9 million) to the Shehri Ijtamai Taraqiati Council (Shatac) for the construction of a mother and child primary health unit in Mandi Bahauddin. This was stated by a press release issued by the Japanese embassy on Friday.

The agreement for the project was signed by the Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Oe and Shatac President Abdul Hameed Blund at the ambassador’s residence on Friday.

The project aims to fill up the impending vacuum in terms of maternal and child health care facilities in the area at a reasonable rate.

The maternity home will be equipped with the necessary instruments and is expected to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate. It is expected that the number of women and children who have access to primary health care will further increase due to the availability of affordable and good quality services in the health unit.

At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Oe expressed his hope that the project would lead to an improved health status of the community and will provide maternal and child health care at affordable prices.

He hoped that these measures would strengthen existing relations between both countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2011.