The Agence Française de Development (AFD) and German Development Co-operation (GTZ) have reached an agreement for additional assistance of euros 11.5 million for provision of health component in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
The new agreement was signed in a ceremony held here at Governor House. French Ambassador Daniel Jouanneau and German Ambassador Dr Michael Koch, representatives from partner organisations and stakeholders were present during signing ceremony.
With the additional resources from the French government, the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) of FATA Secretariat will implement quality improvement initiative which aims at enhancing the clinical and managerial skills of health care providers and health managers, ensuring availability of essential equipment and improving physical infrastructure in health facilities in the FATA.
Khyber Pakhtunkwa (KP) Governor Syed Masood Kausar said that presently capacities and institutional framework for services provided by the government in health, education and livelihood are unsatisfactory, adding that the FDP addresses core problems in the tribal areas.
Additional Chief Secretary Fazal Karim Khattak highlighted the urgent need to provide qualified healthcare professionals and to offer quality healthcare to the people in the FATA. "We are already promoting this in co-operation with the German government, particularly in the fields of health and energy, and are thankful for the additional support from the French government through AFD," he said. French Ambassador Jouanneau, said that the agreement makes a strong impact in significantly improving the health system in the FATA and the wellbeing of the local communities.
German Ambassador Dr Koch highlighted the importance of accountable local governance structure, which could be ensured the service delivery to the people of the FATA. He said that the equal provision of social services including health care is essential to further consolidate people's trust in the Government institutions and to respond to the needs of the population. Nicolas Fornage and Thomas Schaef, representatives of AFD and GIZ in Pakistan, said that the co-financing agreement between the two organisations is the first of its kind in Asia. They said that the successful co-operation of the German government-funded programme with the FATA Secretariat gives AFD the opportunity to increase the impact by supporting the Health Component of the FDP with additional funding.
They said that it was also allowed to France to reach 73 percent of its commitments under the FODP, adding that Tokyo had pledged ? 300 million for official development aid of Pakistan in April 2009.
They said that FDP aims at laying the foundation for sustainable development in the FATA by strengthening the service delivery capacities of the relevant government agencies. Within FDP, which also includes an education and livelihood component, the Health Component seeks to strengthen the health system in the FATA, in particular health management and health workforce, they added.