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The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Thursday approved $100 million for the Punjab Family Planning Program to increase the utilization of family planning services in Punjab, which is home to more than half of the country’s population.
As per a statement, the program will provide timely access to family planning services free of charge.
It will also institutionalize quality of care across the family planning services delivery system, and support public information and advocacy campaigns so that more families are made aware of the benefits of family planning, the World Bank said.
“This important program aims to achieve universal access to reproductive healthcare and to raise the usage of family planning methods in Punjab to 60% by 2030,” Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, was quoted as saying in the press release.
“This is critical for Pakistan’s development, as excessive population growth rates hampers development, slows the accumulation of human capital, and contributes to keeping families in poverty,” he said.
The program, according to the statment, will scale up innovations that have been tested in a number of Punjabi districts and have improved family planning outcomes. These innovations include clinical franchising, voucher programs, and community leaders providing family planning counseling.
The program will reach regions and communities where access to family planning services is either scarce or nonexistent. In order to increase the use of family planning services, it will scale up the voucher incentive program, social marketing, male and community leaders’ engagement, and youth platforms.
