ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has rated the overall implementation progress of the “Sindh Integrated Health and Population Project” worth $200 million, satisfactory.

The project was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on December 19, 2022, and became effective on January 13, 2023.

The project has four components component 1: Improving RMNCAH+N services utilization and quality and support during public health emergencies ($180 million), component 2: Strengthening demand for RMNCAH+N services including women’s empowerment for availing health services ($10 million), component 3: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation and Research ($10 million), and component 4: Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC).

The bank in its report stated that the Sindh Integrated Health and Population Project aims to improve the utilisation and quality of basic Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N), for poor and vulnerable populations, especially women and children, in targeted areas of Sindh.

The Project Management Unit (PMU) has been established and critical staff have been hired. The project has made steady implementation progress since it became effective in January 2023. It is important to maintain and accelerate implementation as the project’s development objective is dependent on the completion of the civil works related to the health facilities that were damaged during the flood.

The report noted that the Department of Health have been working on data quality. The PMU is working closely with MIS to improve the data completeness and other data discrepancies. The team will consider using this as a baseline and try to achieve the end target.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023