Press Release
QUETTA (28 December 2016): The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has completed the refurbishment and upgrading of a maternal and child health facilities in Quetta to provide uninterrupted, quality health services to women and children.
Provincial Minister for Health, Rahmat Saleh Baloch presided over the ceremony of the only basic maternal and child health care unit in Union Council Qambrani, located in the southern part of Quetta city, catering the needs of over 42,000 people.
Balochistan’s Provincial Minister for Health, Rahmat Saleh Baloch cutting the ceremonial ribbon for the basic maternal and child health care unit in Quetta. Dinesh Shrestha, Head of UNHCR’s office in Quetta is also present at the occasion.
UNHCR provided 11.5 million Pakistani rupees USD 110,000 for the improvement of the reproductive health-care unit at where about 40 percent of the patients are Afghan refugees.
UNHCR’s partner agency, the Islamic Helping Hands organisation implemented the project, which included major renovation of the building and providing essential clinical equipment and furniture. The project is expected to benefit over 1,200 women and 2,000 children (under two years of age) each year by providing ante-natal, natal and post-natal health care services to both Pakistani and Afghan refugee communities.
Minister Rahmat Saleh Baloch appreciated the work of UNHCR for undertaking this life-saving initiative and equipping a facility capable of providing mother and child healthcare service on 24/7 basis for the entire population of Qambrani.
He expressed his gratitude to UNHCR for their continued support to the Government’s primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions where a significant number of Afghan patients are also receiving the services.
Speaking at the occasion, Dinesh Shrestha, Head of UNHCR’s office in Quetta said: “that UNHCR is pleased to extend assistance to local communities who have shown tremendous generosity to Afghan refugees.”
Upgrading of maternal and child health facilities comes under the Refugee Affected and Hosting Area (RAHA) programme, which was initiated in 2009 by UNHCR to strengthen government-run institutions.
To date, in Balochistan, UNHCR has implemented 239 projects in the areas of health, education, water, livelihood and social protection costing US$ 24 million.
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
