PESHAWAR, Aug 2: The United States Agency for International Development has formally launched a five-year project for improving maternal and neonatal health in Buner district under the Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (Paiman) and with the collaboration of the health department.

The launching ceremony of the Paiman project for Buner was held at the District Headquarters Hospital in Daggar on Tuesday.

Speaker NWFP Assembly Bakht Jahan Khan was chief guest and Provincial Minister for Health Inayatullah guest of honour on the occasion.

While highlighting achievements of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government in health sector, the minister informed the audience about a recently-announced incentive package for female health care providers working in the nine marginalized districts of the province, including Buner.

He vowed to develop the NWFP as a role model in health sector and appreciated the design of the Paiman project, saying that it would provide mechanisms for effective involvement of government, elected representatives and communities to decide priorities of the project in the areas of maternal and neonatal health.

Highlighting objectives of the project, Dr Nabeela Ali said that its main purpose was to improve the poor situation of health indicators related to maternal and neonatal health in the district.

“Main intervention under the project will be in the areas of strengthening health care delivery system both in public and private sectors, provision of 24-hour emergency obstetrical care, capacity building of health staff and community-based interventions to improve accessibility to health care services,” she said.