In order to provide qualitative basic health services to people in rural and remote areas, MoPH signs contracts with 6 non-governmental organizations (2 national and 4 International) for establishing 53 sub-center clinics and 9 mobile health teams in 8 provinces
Kabul, November 01, 2008: Today Dr S. M. Amin Fatimie the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan signs contracts based on further strengthening the delivery of Basic Package of Health Services with 6 non-governmental organizations. This is the second batch of contracts for establishing sub-centers and mobile health teams. Under these contracts, 6 non governmental organizations (NGOs) including 2 national and 4 international will establish 53 sub-center clinics and 16 mobile health teams in 8 provinces - Badakhshan, Jowzjan, Logar, Kunar, Samangan, Ghor, Herat and Kunduz. The cost of the current 8 contracts is 6,631,367 USD for 3.5 years.
"Ministry of Public Health expands the basic health services to remote areas of the country especially the rural areas. Delivery of qualitative health services by able and skilled provincial health teams is another step in the improvement of health system. Reaching qualitative health services to remote areas of the country is a project that will be funded by Health System Strengthening grant from Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI). In addition to improving access to essential health services, these funds include activities that will improve quality of health care, knowledge of people and as well improve the ability of Ministry of Public Health to better monitor the delivery of health services." said Dr. S. M Amin Fatimie the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He also added, "Signing these contracts proves the reality that MoPH very much prioritizes the quality and quantity of health services, esp. in the rural areas of the country."
Last year Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) approved proposal from Afghanistan for strengthening health system for a total cost of 34.1 million USD from 2007 to end of December 2011. Since last 18 months 167 sub-center clinics and 4 mobile health teams are established through financial support of the World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Commission (EC) and Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) and to the end of the current year, establishment of 133 sub-center clinics and 22 mobile health teams in different provinces of the country are intended to be completed with a cost of more than 14 million USD. Totally, there will be 300 sub-center clinics and 26 mobile health teams.
It is to be mentioned that out of 133 sub-center clinics and 22 mobile health teams, the contracts of 35 sub-center clinics and 16 mobile health teams are already signed and the process of their establishment is on-going.
MOPH in beginning of the December of the current year will sign 3 more contracts with the mentioned NGOs for Faryab, Paktyka and Nooristan provinces which will cover 23 sub-centers and 1 mobile health team.
Using the map, mobile health teams try to reach people who are living in isolated areas in order to provide them health services. On the other hand, sub-centers are planned to provide essential health services for small pockets of population and villages and cover average groups of 5,000 individuals.