$359m WB credit for health sector
World Bank (WB) approved a US$ 359 million credit for Bangladesh to support the government efforts to improve health services, especially for women, children, the poor and the marginalised.
The credit approved on May 26 will be spent under Health Sector Development Programme (HSDP), which is a follow-up of WB support for the government's sector-wise programmes in the health sector.
The credit, from International Development Association, WB's concessionary lending arm, carries a 0.75 percent service charge, with maturity of 40 years including a 10-year grace period.
The government implemented two sector-wise programmes -- Health and Population Sector Programme (HPSP) from 1998 to 2005 and Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programme (HNPSP) from 2005 to 2011.
WB contributed US$ 300 million to HNPSP and helped mobilise US$ 1.2 billion in donor assistance.
Since 1990, infant and child mortality rates declined by more than two-thirds, earning Bangladesh a United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Award in 2010. Similarly, an impressive decline was achieved in maternal mortality ratio, from 320 per 100,000 live births in 2001 to 194 in 2010.
Based on these and in recognition of the challenges ahead, the government planned to implement a new US$ eight billion Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Programme from 2011 to 2016.
The newly approved HSDP of WB is fully aligned with this programme and will play an important role in operationalising commitments to improve essential health services and strengthen the systems.
“This operation adheres to best-practice for aid effectiveness, supporting a country-led, sector-based programme instead of a stand-alone project,” said Ellen Goldstein, WB country director for Bangladesh.
“The programme aligns multiple development partners to the country's priorities in health, nutrition and population, and uses country systems for implementation and monitoring rather than fragmented donor procedures.
“It is the kind of innovation in aid management that we wish to pursue in other sectors,” she added.
Significant development challenges still remain in the health sector, including a double burden of non-communicable and communicable diseases.
The percentage and number of malnourished women and children in Bangladesh remains among the highest in the world. Fertility rate needs to be reduced further in order to avoid a doubling of the population in the next 40 to 50 years.
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