NOWSHERA, May 1: World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said on Tuesday that the concept of community participation had been translated into reality by the Basic Development Need project.

Sponsored by WHO, the project aims to promote broad-based community participation and decentralisation of services to create a healthy and prosperous environment in the area.

Speaking at a briefing arranged during her visit to Khairabad and Tarkhel areas of Nowshehra district, Dr Chan, visibly delighted at and moved by the progress of the project, said: “I am happy to see such a wornderful project.”

She also appreciated the role of the government for owning and making the project a success.

She also praised the role of the area people for women’s empowerment.

Dr Chan was accompanied by Federal Minister for Health Mohammad Nasir Khan, NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah Khan, WHO Regional Director Dr Hussain A. Gezairy, WHO’s Pakistan chief Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud and WHO’s Director Operations Dr Saeed Akbar.

‘‘Results of the project show that behind the women, who have made the project possible, are successful men also,’’ she remarked.

Speaking on the occasion, the federal health minister praised the team spirit shown by the provincial health department.

He stressed the need for administering polio drops to each and every child. "We have to make Pakistan a polio-free country this year," he said.

The provincial health minister said that both provincial and district government were coordinating to make the project a complete success.

He said the project had proved to be a success to a great extent as the area had recorded better health indicators.

The minister said that the provincial government was studying replicating the BDN project in five more districts shortly. He also suggested proper evaluation of the project to make it more effective in the area so that more people could benefit from it.

District Nazim, Daud Khattak highlighted salient features of the scheme, and said that the BDN was a broad-based community participatory project implemented with a special focus on decentralization of services.

He said that initiatives were being taken for creating a healthy and prosperous ambience in the area.

Former Interior Minister Naseerullah Khan Babar sought increased funds for the project.

He also demanded establishment of two vocational centres -- one each for male and female – and urged the government to declare Khairabad area an industrial zone.