For the people: Six districts to benefit from new healthcare project
The internationally funded programme will improve service delivery in conflict and disaster-hit areas.
The internationally funded programme will improve service delivery in conflict and disaster-hit areas. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The government is all set to initiate a health delivery system in six calamity and conflict-hit districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), The Express Tribune learnt on Monday.
These areas, spread across six districts, were selected while considering factors such as conflict, natural disasters, law and order along with a lack of efficient health delivery systems there.
Senior government officials at the Civil Secretariat informed The Express Tribune that the programme for “the revitalisation and strengthening of health service delivery and nutrition services in crisis-affected districts of K-P” will be operational soon.
“The project is to be implemented with the support of the World Bank (WB) administered multi donor trust fund and aims to help and support calamity and conflict-hit areas of DI Khan, Lower Dir, Kohistan, Battagram, Buner and Torghar by establishing and strengthening health facilities,” an official informed.
The goal of the project is to build government responsiveness and effectiveness and to restore citizens’ trust in the affected districts, he shared.
He said agreements for launching the project in Lower Dir and Kohistan have been finalised and a no-objection letter (NOL) has been sent to WB, adding in DI Khan the response of a rationalised financial plan is awaited from the concerned firm.
The shortlisting of firms after expressions of interest for Torghar and Battagram has been completed and submitted to WB for NOL whereas the evaluation of technical proposals for Buner has been submitted to WB as well, informed the official.
A senior official of the health department said, “Under the programme, hub centres have been envisaged at appropriate locations for efficient delivery,” adding all hub centres will be providing services round the clock and be equipped with ambulances. All required medicines and other equipment will be supplied to basic health units across the districts from the hub centres.
The official informed that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak discussed the health delivery initiative with relevant WB officials in Islamabad last month and the programme has the political and bureaucratic backing to be launched successfully.
To a question, an official said the central focus of the government was to establish a strong foundation for a proper health delivery system. “As planned, 78% of the programme cost will be used in the actual service delivery and the total project management unit cost is less than 5% of the total.” The rest of the money will be spent on equipment and other necessities, he added.
He informed that the programme is a unique collaboration of the provincial government and development sector organisations to improve service delivery in the province, adding the government will bring about sustained development in the province by partnering with all the stakeholders. He said the project will cost between $14-16 million and will be completed in 14 months.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2014.
The government is all set to initiate a health delivery system in six calamity and conflict-hit districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), The Express Tribune learnt on Monday.
These areas, spread across six districts, were selected while considering factors such as conflict, natural disasters, law and order along with a lack of efficient health delivery systems there.
Senior government officials at the Civil Secretariat informed The Express Tribune that the programme for “the revitalisation and strengthening of health service delivery and nutrition services in crisis-affected districts of K-P” will be operational soon.
“The project is to be implemented with the support of the World Bank (WB) administered multi donor trust fund and aims to help and support calamity and conflict-hit areas of DI Khan, Lower Dir, Kohistan, Battagram, Buner and Torghar by establishing and strengthening health facilities,” an official informed.
The goal of the project is to build government responsiveness and effectiveness and to restore citizens’ trust in the affected districts, he shared.
He said agreements for launching the project in Lower Dir and Kohistan have been finalised and a no-objection letter (NOL) has been sent to WB, adding in DI Khan the response of a rationalised financial plan is awaited from the concerned firm.
The shortlisting of firms after expressions of interest for Torghar and Battagram has been completed and submitted to WB for NOL whereas the evaluation of technical proposals for Buner has been submitted to WB as well, informed the official.
A senior official of the health department said, “Under the programme, hub centres have been envisaged at appropriate locations for efficient delivery,” adding all hub centres will be providing services round the clock and be equipped with ambulances. All required medicines and other equipment will be supplied to basic health units across the districts from the hub centres.
The official informed that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak discussed the health delivery initiative with relevant WB officials in Islamabad last month and the programme has the political and bureaucratic backing to be launched successfully.
To a question, an official said the central focus of the government was to establish a strong foundation for a proper health delivery system. “As planned, 78% of the programme cost will be used in the actual service delivery and the total project management unit cost is less than 5% of the total.” The rest of the money will be spent on equipment and other necessities, he added.
He informed that the programme is a unique collaboration of the provincial government and development sector organisations to improve service delivery in the province, adding the government will bring about sustained development in the province by partnering with all the stakeholders. He said the project will cost between $14-16 million and will be completed in 14 months.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2014.