Japan To Financially Assist Health,security Development In Country

Government of Japan has extended financial support of millions of dollars to maternal- child health care and security development to improve the performance efficiency of these respective fields

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2019 ) :Government of Japan has extended financial support of millions of Dollars to maternal- child health care and security development to improve the performance efficiency of these respective fields.

The assistance of 32 million USD was expected for the project of "Extension of Intensive Care at Maternal and Child Health Care Centre and Children's Hospital in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS)" and approximately 17 million USD for the "The Economic and Social Development Programme" for improvement of cargo inspection capacity for better security, said a press statement issued here.

The grant agreements were formally signed on April 23 in Tokyo between Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Kuninori Matsuda and Special Secretary (Asia Pacific), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Ahmad Imtiaz, with the presence of Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Kono and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

According to the agreement,owing to the growing needs at PIMS a new ward and necessary medical equipment especially for mothers and children who require urgent attention will be provided.

This will enable the institution to provide better quality services for high risk mothers and children, and accommodate 300 intensive-care patients a year.

Japan has placed a high priority on maternal and child health in its development assistance for Pakistan and started assisting PIMS since 1982.

The grant for Economic and Social Development Programme will be utilized by Federal board of Revenue (FBR) to install appropriate security inspection equipment such as X-ray cargo scanners to maintain high security level at dry ports in order to meet the international standards.

It is hoped that the provision of the equipment will also make the cargo clearance process more efficient.