BRITAIN'S DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID) WILL PROVIDE 60 MILLION POUNDS BY NEXT YEAR TO SUPPORT HEALTH AND POPULATION ACTIVITIES IN PAKISTAN. THE AIM OF THE DEPARTMENT'S HEALTH AND POPULATION ACTIVITIES HERE IS TO ASSIST PAKISTAN TO ACHIEVE ITS POVERTY REDUCTION GOALS AND TO FULFILL ITS COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS, PARTICULARLY THOSE DIRECTLY RELATED TO HEALTH, DFID HEALTH ADVISER JANE EDMONDSON SAID. SHE SAID IN LINE WITH DFID'S PAKISTAN COUNTRY ASSISTANCE PLAN, THE APPROACH EMPHASIZED ON IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE POOR, WITHIN A DEVOLVED GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AND RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND INCOME GENERATION MEASURES THAT REDUCED POOR PEOPLE'S VULNERABILITY TO HEALTH CRISES: AND GREATER PARTICIPATION OF POOR PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WOMEN, IN DECISION-MAKING AT ALL LEVELS. MS EDMONDSON SAID THE DFID WAS PROVIDING SECTOR BUDGET SUPPORT TO THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND POPULATION WELFARE FACILITY (NHF). THIS IS A FOUR-YEAR (2003-2007) DFID INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF POOR PEOPLE IN PAKISTAN. THE NHF SUPPORTS THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT TO ACHIEVE THE AMBITIOUS TARGETS SET OUT IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND POPULATION POLICIES AND IN THE PAKISTAN POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPER AND SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED LOW LEVELS OF PUBLIC SPENDING ON HEALTH AND POPULATION SECTORS AS A PROPORTION OF GDP. THE NHF PROVIDES BUDGET SUPPORT TO SEVEN NATIONAL HEALTH AND POPULATION PROGRAMMES. THEY ARE POPULATION WELFARE, FAMILY PLANNING AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE (ALSO KNOWN AS THE LADY HEALTH WORKER PROGRAMME), TUBERCULOSIS, EXPANDED PROGRAMME OF IMMUNIZATION, AIDS CONTROL, MALARIA CONTROL AND NUTRITION. IT ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE POLICYMAKING AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT.
