Project News

As a part of its continuing support for the improvement of maternal and child health situation in Bangladesh, JICA started a four-year technical cooperation project titled Safe Motherhood Promotion Project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Government of Bangladesh. At the initial phase, the project will work in six upazilas of Narsingdi district with the aim of developing the capacity of health service providers of the area. Project activities will include strengthening services such as emergency obstetric care facilities, referral system, and supportive supervision by government health and family planning workers among others. In cognizant of community awareness and mobilization as the key to success, JICA signed a contract with CARE Bangladesh for increasing the awareness of community people on the utilization of quality health services. CARE Bangladesh will work in two sub-districts of Narsingdi for the first year, planning to expand to all six upazilas in the second year and onward till the end of the project,. Major activities of CARE Bangladesh will encompass the promotion of birth preparedness among women, their husbands and in-laws, and establishing community support systems for providing timely and life saving maternal and newborn health services.

The contract was signed by Mr. Akio Arai, Resident Representative, JICA and Mr. Steve Wallace, Country Director of CARE Bangladesh at a simple ceremony held at the JICA office on December 12, 2006. At the signing ceremony, Mr. Arai expressed his hope that this partnership with CARE Bangladesh will open up new avenues for strengthening assistance mechanism for JICA, as JICA will be benefited through the strong outreach capacity of CARE Bangladesh. In reply, Mr. Wallace expressed his expectation that through this partnership a sustainable and consistent system of access to health services will be initiated which will act as a model for others as well. Other officials of JICA and Care Bangladesh were present at the signing ceremony.

JICA-financed Safe Motherhood Promotion Project is estimated to cost around 25 crore BDT with substantial contribution from Government of Bangladesh. The project is expected to cover around 22 lakh beneficiaries of Narsingdi district.