Third Partnership for Polio Eradication Project for Pakistan will be launched from next financial year July with a total cost of US $154.21 million with the co-operation of World Bank, Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) and World Health Organisation (Who), which will be completed within two years.
According to World Bank's Integrated Safeguards data sheet, Pakistan's Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) has three components. First the procurement, supply and effective supply of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), second supplemental immunisation activities including cold chain, social mobilisation and training and third surveillance.
The proposed project will finance only the first component of Pakistan's Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) which comprises 'the Project' as in the original project, which will be financed through Specific Investment Lending.
Update project report revealed that the project development objective is to assist Pakistan's efforts to eradicate polio through timely supply and effective use of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for the country's Supplemental Immunisation Activities (SIA) during 2009-11. The project is part of the Who led multi-country effort, and will contribute to a global public good, ie, the eradication of polio from the world.
The primary targeted group for the proposed project is Pakistan's under five children. Success of the programme is proposed to be measured by the following indicators. First timely arrival of OPV at the District stores of the Department of Health. Vaccines arrive at least three days in the district stores before each of the SIAs and second target coverage of OPV in the targeted population (children under-five) is at least 90 percent in all districts during July 2009-June 2011.
WB report disclosed that the proposed credit would finance the procurement of OPV for SIAs to be used during July 2009-June 2011.The total budget needed for PEI during 2009-11 is about US $154.21 million, of which US $87.35 million is needed for OPV procurement.
With the Government of Japan expected to finance US $12.67 million for OPV procurement, IDA will finance the remaining gap of US $74.68 million. The cost of supplemental operations and surveillance will be financed by Who and Unicef with support from various partners.
According to WB report, the proposed credit does not require additional implementation capacity beyond what is already in place for PEI. However, the implementation arrangements for SIAs in security compromised areas will need to be adjusted to take into ongoing conflict.
The project will be monitored through the existing monitoring mechanisms and already functional surveillance system. The existing procurement, financial management and disbursement arrangements including accounting and reporting systems will continue as applied under the parent project.
Unicef will undertake the procurement and supply of OPV through its international procurement division, based in Copenhagen. According to WB report, a social assessment was deemed not necessary as there are no potential negative social impacts anticipated. The proposed project aims to benefit under five children specially vulnerable and neglected groups by providing polio immunisation.
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