Bangladesh News

The government and the World Bank (WB) yesterday signed Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) Grant Agreement, a way of channelling US$460 million for Bangladesh Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Program (HNPSP).

Department of International Development Fund (DFID) of UK, European Commission (EC), Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) pooled their grant finances administered by WB. The WB will give credit of another US$300 million for HNPSP, while Germany also pledged to pool financing for the programme.

HNPSP, a US$4.3 billion programme (2003-2010), was designed to modernise the country’s health sector and accelerate progress towards reaching the health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Addressing the ceremony the WB Country Director Christine I Wallich termed non-communicable diseases a challenge for the country and suggested increased accountability in delivering healthcare services.

“Patients suffering from heart diseases, diabetes or cancer require treatment, which is beyond what is typically provided in government health facilities. In other words, the present health system just isn’t keeping pace,” she said at a signing ceremony at a city hotel.

Financial resources are vital to overcome the present situation, but there is much more to it, Wallich said, adding, “Many people have turned away from public health provision, deterred by staff absenteeism, inconsistent quality and demands for illegal payments.”

She urged the government to take example from the NGOs where village development committees are used to oversee healthcare delivery that often produced better levels of care at considerably lower costs.

The WB Country Director, however, appreciated reduction of child and infant mortality rate and child malnutrition, improvement in immunisation level, polio eradication, TB detection rates and the government’s involvement in combatting the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Speaking as the chief guest, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said HNPSP will assist in implementing the country’s strategic investment plan by supporting the government’s social development goals and attaining the MDGs.

The sector-wise programme will ensure sustainability and make sure that the learning, successes and improvements have a life beyond the programme duration, he said.

He thanked the donors for financing the national programme.

Giving accounts of the successes in health sector, the minister said, “We are now better prepared for emergencies with the re-emergence of polio and avian flu scare.”

He, however, noted scarcity of resources as a reality. “We have to choose such strategies that are appropriate for mobilising the limited financial and human assets in pursuit of improved health, nutrition and family welfare for our citizens.”

Ambassador of delegation of EC said the development partners are committed to fully support the government in achieving the health-related MDG targets and implementing reforms to make health services fit for the future.

The speakers congratulated Prof Muhammad Yunus on his winning the Nobel Peace Prize 2006 for his contribution to establish peace through alleviating poverty by giving collateral-free loans to the poor.

“We congratulate our great soul Dr Yunus. You are the source of our inspiration,” said Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

Economist Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud, Ismail Zabihullah, secretary of Economic Relations Division of Ministry of Finance, Zafarullah Khan, secretary of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also spoke on the occasion.