Strengthening Maternal and Child Health Including Immunization

About the Project

SAARC region accounts for 25 percent of the global population with a very young population, with nearly 50% in the reproductive group. The number of pregnant women and the number of babies born annually are very high. An estimated 37 million child births take place annually. The region also accounts for more than 0.18 million maternal deaths and over 3 million child deaths annually. Half of the under-5 deaths occur during the first 28 days of life; and most of the deaths are preventable.

Beneficiary:

Mothers and Newborns in 7 countries, doctors and nurses and Infrastructure Development / up-gradation of Maternal and Newborn Care Facilities for 7 countries in 52 District Hospitals, 242 Sub-district Hospitals or FRUs and 1,180 Health Post Centers / Community Health Centers

In this context, the second Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers agreed to undertake a Project on Maternal & Child Health Care under the Social Window of the SAARC Development Fund (SDF).

SDF is dedicated to ensuring that every infant and woman of childbearing age in the SAARC region is fully immunized. Working with, regional, national and sub-national partners, the project aims to:

Project Objectives 

  • Improve skills of doctors and nursesĀ 
  • Reduction in child and maternal mortality
  • Provide access to integrated comprehensive primary MCH health care
  • Improve availability and adequacy of infrastructure and equipment at district and sub-district levels.

Major Activities:

  • Up gradation of Health Centers
  • Capacity building on newborn care

Participating Countries

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Start Date: 19-Jun-2009 

Project Budget: US $ 15,039,229.00

Status: Completed