PESHAWAR, July 13: The Asian Development Bank has provided a Rs93.57 million loan to the NWFP for the reproductive health and safe motherhood project in eight high-risk districts of the province, an official said on Tuesday.

Dr Fayyaz Ali, assistant director of the reproductive health, said that PC-I for the project had been approved in February and the project was being implemented since July 1, adding that the project was being implemented in Bannu, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Battagram, Buner and Lower and Upper Dir districts.

The districts have been selected on the basis of the prevalence of the higher maternal mortality ratio, he said. According to an estimate, between 350 and 750 mothers die during delivery or pregnancy-related complications out of a total of 100,000 live births, he added.

He said that the project would span over a six-year period and it would focus on improving the emergency obstetric care in rural health centres, basic health units and civil hospitals in these districts.

He said that these health units would be provided necessary equipment besides providing adequate training to staff enabling them to deal with pregnancy-related emergencies.

"Priority would be accorded to pre- and post-natal care in these districts and provide consultation services to pregnant women," he said. The project, he said, was also aimed at mobilizing NGOs and health professionals to increase public awareness regarding reproductive health and safe motherhood.

Public-private partnership would also be encouraged to achieve the desired results, he said. Provincial and district level implementation units would oversee the functioning of the project to ensure fool-proof monitoring of the project, he said.

Meanwhile, an ADB mission arrived in the city on Tuesday to identify the implementation status of the project. Members of the mission would meet officials, including the NWFP health minister and the provincial secretary health.