ISLAMABAD: The government has sought a one-year extension in the World Bank project “National Health Support Program”, worth around USD360 million, to ensure its effective implementation.
The request was made by the Federal Minister for Health, Mustafa Kamal, during a meeting held on Monday with a high-level delegation of the World Bank to discuss ongoing efforts and challenges in strengthening Pakistan’s health system.
The program became effective in October 2022 with the objective of strengthening equitable delivery and quality of essential health services at the primary health care level in support of universal health coverage.
$300m NHSP: Implementation progress moderately satisfactory: World Bank
After some initial delays, implementation progress has picked up in the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination (MoNFS&R) and the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh.
The Program is financed by the International Development Association (IDA) and includes co-financing from the Global Financing Facility (GFF), the Gates Foundation, the Global Fund, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
At the request of the World Bank, Kamal also directed the immediate reactivation of the Inter-Ministerial Health and Population Council. He further instructed that an inter-provincial ministerial meeting be convened this week to ensure integrated policy-level consultations, along with a dedicated meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to accelerate the expansion of health services across the country.
The minister emphasised the importance of strengthening health and nutrition services for women, children, and adolescents, and directed the nomination of a focal person under the Global Financing Facility (GFF) framework to oversee this critical agenda.
The World Bank delegation proposed the convening of a Donor Conference within the next two to three months. The conference would highlight the Federal Health Minister’s two to three year vision for the sector while exploring opportunities for partnerships and investments in Pakistan’s health system. Kamal warmly welcomed the proposal, assuring the World Bank of the Ministry’s full cooperation in organising the conference.
He reaffirmed that the Ministry of Health and the World Bank would continue to enhance close coordination and information-sharing, further strengthening mutual collaboration for the betterment of Pakistan’s health system. “Together, we will make our cooperation more effective and robust to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality healthcare for all,” the minister added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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