Japan Boosts Maternal and Child Health Care in Sindh with Additional $4.43 Million Grant

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Islamabad, In a significant enhancement of healthcare infrastructure in Pakistan’s Sindh province, the Government of Japan has announced an additional grant of approximately $4.43 million for the extension of maternal and child health care facilities. This additional funding brings the total Japanese contribution to the project to roughly $27.19 million, underscoring Japan’s commitment to improving health services in the region.

According to Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, the grant agreement amendments were formalized in a signing ceremony held on April 4, 2024, involving H.E. Mr. WADA Mitsuhiro, Ambassador of Japan, and representatives from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Pakistan Office. The additional funds were allocated following a request from the Government of Pakistan to address financial shortfalls due to exchange rate fluctuations and rising market prices.

The project focuses on establishing a new maternal and child health center at the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) in Jamshoro, a key medical institution in the Hyderabad district. Designed as a comprehensive facility, it will feature departments for obstetrics and pediatrics, including a labor room, obstetrics ward, neonatal intensive care unit, and maternal and fetal intensive care unit, among others. Additionally, the center will be equipped with approximately 120 pieces of medical equipment, such as newborn incubators and ultrasonic diagnostic devices, with completion projected by April 2025.

Ambassador WADA highlighted the project’s scope, noting its potential to benefit over 20 million people and its status as one of the largest grant projects by Japan worldwide in terms of both financial volume and beneficiary population. He expressed confidence that upon completion, the project would stand as a landmark symbol of Japan’s development assistance to Pakistan.

The initiative is expected to significantly relieve the burden on tertiary hospitals in Karachi and Hyderabad by providing accessible, high-quality care to mothers and babies with complications. It reaffirms Japan’s and JICA’s dedication to prioritizing maternal and child health in Pakistan’s health sector strategy and their ongoing support for the country’s vulnerable populations.