ISLAMABAD: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has handed over medical and information technology equipment worth over RS 7.4 million to the Health Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The donation is designed to boost the quality of nutrition and healthcare services provided in seven key Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts, and includes weighing scales, delivery tables, oxygen cylinders and emergency lights, as well as computers and printers.
Director General of the Provincial Health Department, Dr. Zafar Afridi received the equipment from WFP Pakistan's Deputy Head of Programme Rashida Amir, in a ceremony organized at the Director General's office.
"As part of its commitment to strengthen government capacity, WFP has been providing support to national institutions through the supply of non-food items, in addition to providing food assistance to those in need," said Amir.
"This donation will benefit provincial public health structures in the delivery of quality medical care to malnourished children and pregnant and nursing mothers."
WFP nutrition activities in the province are carried out through the Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) intervention in 11 districts in partnership with the Health Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, UNICEF and national and international NGOs.
WFP has been distributing specialised nutritious foods to treat moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in children 6 to 59 months of age, and pregnant and nursing mothers.
WFP provides additional food assistance to the siblings of registered severely acute malnourished (SAM) and moderately acute malnourished (MAM) children, as well as malnourished pregnant and nursing women in areas where food insecurity is most pronounced.
WFP donated medical equipment and ICT tools to contribute to the improvement of health care services in 68 rural health facilities in seven targeted districts (Buner, Kohistan, Dir Upper and Lower, Shangla, Swat and D. I. Khan), and to strengthen monitoring, reporting and coordination capacities of Project Implementation Units and the Provincial Nutrition Cell.
In 2013, WFP has to date distributed over 900 metric tons of specialized foods under the CMAM intervention in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province only.
Nearly 116,000 moderately malnourished children (including siblings) and 36,300 pregnant and nursing women are being assisted through 149 CMAM sites.
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