Japan has extended financial support to economic and healthcare initiatives in Pakistan in the form of grants to the tune of 49 million dollars.
The government pledged 32 million dollars to “The Project for the Extension of Intensive Care at Maternal and Child Health Care Centre and Children’s Hospital in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS),” and approximately 17 million dollars to “The Economic and Social Development Program” for improvement of cargo inspection capacity.
The grant agreements were formally signed on Tuesday in Tokyo between Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Kuninori Matsuda, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan’s Special Secretary (Asia Pacific) Ahmad Imtiaz.
Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Taro Kono, and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were also present on the occasion.
PIMS a clear manifestation of Pak-Japan friendship
In order to respond to the growing needs at PIMS, the project was said to warrant a new ward and necessary medical equipment, especially for mothers and children in need of urgent attention.
This would enable the institution to provide a better quality of services for high-risk mothers and children, as well as accommodating 300 intensive-care patients a year.
With a high priority on maternal and child health in its development assistance for Pakistan, Japan has been assisting PIMS since 1982.
The collaboration between the friendly states of Pakistan and Japan is clearly manifested in PIMS.
The economic and social development grant would be utilised by the Federal Board of Revenue to install appropriate security inspection equipment, including X-ray machines and cargo scanners to maintain a high-security level at dry ports in order to meet the international standards.
The provision of the equipment is hoped to make the cargo clearance more efficient.
