PESHAWAR, Nov 24: A high-level meeting has approved a plan for improving maternal and neo-natal health facilities in districts of the province to ensure availability of 24-hour emergency health services in these areas. The plan was discussed at the provincial consultative meeting of a USAID-funded project. NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah presided over the meeting held here on Thursday.

Participants decided that in the first phase of the project, health centres at Wari and Barawal in Upper Dir District would be improved while in Buner District, civil hospitals of Juwar and Chamla would be improved.

Dr Nabeela Ali, chief of Paiman, a project of USAID, briefed the meeting about the strategy to be adopted for improving maternal and child health facilities, training to women medical technicians and provision of favourable working atmosphere to the staff in the target areas.

Issuing directives on the occasion, the health minister asked for evolving strategy to train indigenous technical health personnel to make health facilities sustainable in such areas.

Health Secretary Abdus Samad Khan, Director-General Dr Jalilur Rehman and representatives of USAID, Save the Children and EDOs Health of the districts concerned, attended the meeting.