KARACHI, April 13: Hiroshi Azuma, minister in the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, on Tuesday formally inaugurated a TB clinic established by the Behbud Association under the Japanese government-sponsored Grass-Root Assistance (GRA) Programme.

The TB clinic at Shireen Jinnah Colony has been providing medical assistance to TB patients for the last one year. It was completed with a support of $42,692 sanctioned in Feb 2000 as part of a project that included extension of Behbud's building.

Hiroshi Azuma, speaking on the occasion, said the GRA scheme for Pakistan was initiated by the government of Japan in 1989 to reach out to the poor at grass-roots level.

Since then the embassy of Japan has continuously supported the activities of NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) all over Pakistan and so far, about $10.5 million has been provided to 209 small-scale social sector development projects.

"Under the scheme we support social sector development projects for the provision of facilities such as health, education, water supply, sanitation, special education and vocational training," he said.

The chief guest expressed his satisfaction that while the construction was delayed for a while but since the clinic became operational last year, the people of the locality had been benefiting from its services.

He hoped that Behbud would continue to operate the clinic for the betterment of the people who needed attention and coverage against the life-threatening disease. He said the building stood as a testimony to the friendship of the two countries, and a genuine desire of the people of Japan to help their Pakistani brothers and sisters.

Nadir Sohail, president of the Behbud Association, said on the occasion that different projects were undertaken by the association for economic empowerment and education of women belonging to the low-income class. This was said to be besides the vocational training centres for youth and a primary school for children. -APP