Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Federal Government has failed to release funds of Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within the stipulated time of six years (2006 to 2012) and the organization is facing problems in improving its indicators.

The informed sources on the condition of anonymity told Daily Times that federal government had approved PC-1 of Rs 2,770 million to reduce maternal mortality as well as deal with infant and neo-natal issues in the war torn province.

He said that only 32 per cent of the allocated budget had been provided out of the total of Rs 2,770 million so far. “The project initiated in 2006 by the federal government was to end in 2012 but it was extended till 2018”, he explained.

Following the extension in the programme, he maintained, the MNCH-KP was asked by the federal government to submit a revised PC-1 of the remaining 68 per cent budget till June 2015. “Even after submitting the revised PC-1, the department could only get 68 per cent of the total remaining amount till 2015,” he added.

The department was also told that the remaining amount would be disbursed by 2018, he maintained, adding the federal government was yet to release Rs 862 million after the submission of revised PC-1.

“The extension of the programme till 2018 has done no good to the project but instead added to the miseries of the officials as no increments have been introduced in the budget for MNCH-KP,” the source lamented. “Often the employees of MNCH are not paid salaries for as long as three months which severely hinders the overall operation”, he deplored.

To a query regarding the improvement of indicators, he mentioned, without monetary resources, the indicators could not be improved as expected and planned.

Provincial Manager of MNCH-KP, Dr Sahib Gul when contacted said that they had re-devised plans to improve indicators including maternal mortality ratio, infant and neonatal now that the project has been extended to 2018. He also confirmed the overall activities of the project had suffered to a great deal.

He categorically mentioned that the MNCH programme had been negatively affected due to some steps taken by the federal government, for instance, the appointment of 24 social mobilizers against merit.

Talking to Daily Times, the provincial manager also shared that indicators needed to be improved on priority basis since outcomes of the project had not been as anticipated due to certain setbacks. He, however, eulogized the role of KP Government to allocate Rs 300 million for MNCH so that mothers and neonate could get their required facilities at health centers.

As per statistics provided by a welfare organization, 206 of every 100,000 mothers pass away due to pregnancy related complications while the infant mortality rate is also not very satisfactory in the province.

As many as 58 newborns of every 1,000 births die in the province and infant mortality rate is at its peak. Similarly, the under-five mortality (U5MR) rate is 70 per 1,000 births. The source said KP had been unable to achieve MDGs for IMR, MMR in 2015.