USAID to fund construction of new 120-bed maternity ward at JPMC

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USAID to fund construction of new 120-bed maternity ward at JPMC

Consul General of the United States of America in Karachi Michael J Dodman and Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah jointly performed the ground breaking ceremony of construction of a new 120-bed maternity ward at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing $6 million to fund for the construction of a new 120-bed maternity ward.

The project is being implemented under the USAID’s Maternal and Child Health Programme being implemented mostly in Sindh. The programme, worth $387 million, will continue till 2018 and aims to improve and enhance the quality and availability of key family planning and reproductive health care, besides maternal, neonatal, and child health services.

The ground-breaking ceremony on Monday was attended by USAID Acting Provincial Director Dr Randy L Hatfield, incoming US Consul General Karachi Brian Heath, Chief Secretary Sindh Saleem Sajjad Hotiana, Executive Director JPMC Dr Tasnim Ehsan, Prof Shireen Bhutta, Prof Tariq Mehmood and other senior official attended the ceremony.

Consul General Michael Dodman said foundation that we establish here today is only one part of a broad US commitment to expanding access to quality health are for all Pakistanis, especially the people of Sindh.

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah said improving health delivery system is the top priority of provincial government. He said maternity ward would be completed in one year with support of USAID. He said provincial government allocated more funds for health and education sectors in current budget to bring further improvement in these sectors.

USAID Acting Provincial Director Dr Randy L Hatfield in his remark said that United States has been a long and active partner in upgrading Pakistans health care sector. In 1959, Jinnah Hospital and Indiana University launched a Basic Medical Services Institute. This became the first institution in Pakistan to provide postgraduate medical education.

2017-04-26T12:35:00+00:00