ISLAMABAD-Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved Sindh Integrated Health and Population Programme worth Rs57.256 billion, envisaging universal health coverage to the residents of Sindh.
The Integrated Health and Population Programme is being sponsored by the Government of Sindh and will be co-financed by the provincial government, World Bank and Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), official documents available with The Nation revealed.
The project titled ‘Sindh Human Capital Investment: 1000 Days Integrated Health and Population Program’ will be funded through provincial Annual Development Plan, loan from World Bank and IsDB, said the documents source. Of the total estimated cost of Rs57.256b, World Bank and IDB will provide Rs 51.124b for the project, while Rs 6.131b will be funded through Sindh’s ADP, according to documents. The project completion period is 56 months, starting November 2022 till June 2027, said the documents. World Bank has agreed to provide soft loan of $200 million for the Project. While Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) will give a soft loan of $50 million mainly for the subcomponent on women’s economic empowerment (WEE). 
The sub-component of WEE is aimed at the provision of micro financing to young women in the program catchment areas after fulfilling eligibility criteria i.e. literate and registered within BISP NCER. This support would enable women to become empowered in financial terms which will enhance their health-seeking behavior in terms of RMNCAH+N.
The project will be launched in selected 392 government dispensaries (GDs) of the province. The project envisaged universal health coverage through enhanced access to integrated reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, adolescent health and nutrition services. The project is aimed at continuum of care approach. It also aims at women empowerment including women economic empowerment through skill development and micro financing managed by third party. 
The scope of the project is to improve utilisation and quality of RMNCAH+N services for poor and vulnerable population, especially adolescent and women, in targeted areas of Sindh. The program will sustainably improve and build the health and economic resilience of communities in the project locations by adopting an integrated approach to address the socio-economic determinants; effects of natural disasters; and pandemics that impact the vulnerable population. The project, on completion, will decrease in maternal morbidity &mortality, reduced neonatal mortality, and reduction in child mortality.