Sindh Human Capital Investment Project: Sindh govt, WB agree to finalise

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a virtual meeting with the World Bank team headed by its Country Director Naijy Benhassine discussed a five-component $400 million Sindh Human Capital Investment Project.

The Sindh government and the World Bank agreed to finalize the project by completing its remaining documents so that it could be started from next financial year.

The chief minister was assisted by provincial ministers, Dr Azra Fazal Pecvhuho, Ismail Rahu, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah, Sohail Siyal, Chairperson P&D Shireen Narejo, Principal Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro, Commissioner karachi Naveed Shaikh, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary School Education Ahmed Bux Narejo, Secretary Local Govt Najam Shah, Secretary Health Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Agriculture Raheem Soomro and others.

It was a $400 million comprehensive project in which the World Bank would finance 85 percent budget and the provincial government would share 15 percent funds.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that it would be called Sindh 1000 Days plus programme aimed at further strengthening the continuum of care for Integrated Healthcare Services for Universal Health Coverage.

He further said that the Human capital formation would be made through integrated health, early child education, adult literacy, skill development for women economic inclusion and a Social Registry.

"We are conducting environmental and social impact assessment," he said.

He said that selected interventions would be implemented through Public Private Partnership (PPP) such as social registry, skills development, ambulance, Micro-finance, telehealth and others.

The CM discussing the details of the project said that out of 30 districts 271 undeserved Union Councils selected. "The selection is based on hard-to-reach and remoteness in terms of Desert, Delta, Riverine, Hilly, Nara, Achro Thar and Arid zone," he said and added that data collected through district health departments' office.

According to Murad Ali Shah, out of total 1093 government dispensaries (GDs), 293 were selected on the criteria based on two factors - the GD located at four Kilometers distance from a Basic Health Unit (BHU) and the GD which has no coverage of Lady Health Workers.

"On average each GD is nine kilometers away from a BHU," he elaborated and added during first launching of programme, 93 GDs located in five districts- Tharparkar, Thatta, Sujawal, Jamshoro, Qambar-Shahdadkot would be covered, while rest would be covered after one year of the initial programme.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021