Bangladesh signed an agreement with the World Bank on Wednesday under which the global lender will channel development partners' grants to the biggest-ever health sector programme.
According to the agreement, $ 280 million grants of four partners, Australia, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States, will be pooled in the $ 7 billion Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Programme (HPNSDP) begun in July 2011.
Arastoo Khan, Additional Secretary at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and Ellen Goldstein, the World Bank's Country Director, signed the deal at the ERD auditorium in presence of Minister for Health and Family Welfare AFM Ruhal Haque.
With its goal to ensure quality and equitable health services, the 2011-2016 plan aims to streamline the access of maternal, neonatal and child health services, revitalise family planning interventions and mainstream nutrition with health services.
It has 32 operational plans to cover the three sectors. The government will provide around 75 percent of the resources required for the HPNSDP while development partners will provide the rest.
Speaking at the signing, the health minister said, despite delayed release of funds, the government could complete 90 percent of the targeted activities in the first year. "People started getting benefits," he said.
External funding for the HPNSDP includes the Multi Donor Trust Fund of $ 280 million, signed on Wednesday, and the World Bank's IDA credit of $ 359 million.
According to a World Bank's media release, the governments of Canada, Germany and Netherlands have also pledged to join the pool in near future.
"Success in reducing child mortality and implementing widespread immunisation campaigns are just two examples of the strides Bangladesh has made in improving the health of its citizens," the World Bank Country Director said at the signing ceremony.
She said: "With HPNSDP the country now has the opportunity to go further in ensuring a health care system that is effective, accountable and responsive to the needs of the people."
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implemented the first sector approach, Health and Population Sector Programme (HPSP), from July 1998 to June 2003.
The second plan, Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programme (HNPSP), was implemented from 2003 to June 2011 while the latest plan commenced from July 1.
According to the agreement, $ 280 million grants of four partners, Australia, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States, will be pooled in the $ 7 billion Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Programme (HPNSDP) begun in July 2011.
Arastoo Khan, Additional Secretary at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and Ellen Goldstein, the World Bank's Country Director, signed the deal at the ERD auditorium in presence of Minister for Health and Family Welfare AFM Ruhal Haque.
With its goal to ensure quality and equitable health services, the 2011-2016 plan aims to streamline the access of maternal, neonatal and child health services, revitalise family planning interventions and mainstream nutrition with health services.
It has 32 operational plans to cover the three sectors. The government will provide around 75 percent of the resources required for the HPNSDP while development partners will provide the rest.
Speaking at the signing, the health minister said, despite delayed release of funds, the government could complete 90 percent of the targeted activities in the first year. "People started getting benefits," he said.
External funding for the HPNSDP includes the Multi Donor Trust Fund of $ 280 million, signed on Wednesday, and the World Bank's IDA credit of $ 359 million.
According to a World Bank's media release, the governments of Canada, Germany and Netherlands have also pledged to join the pool in near future.
"Success in reducing child mortality and implementing widespread immunisation campaigns are just two examples of the strides Bangladesh has made in improving the health of its citizens," the World Bank Country Director said at the signing ceremony.
She said: "With HPNSDP the country now has the opportunity to go further in ensuring a health care system that is effective, accountable and responsive to the needs of the people."
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implemented the first sector approach, Health and Population Sector Programme (HPSP), from July 1998 to June 2003.
The second plan, Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programme (HNPSP), was implemented from 2003 to June 2011 while the latest plan commenced from July 1.
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