Project profile — Support to the Health Sector Development Program

• Bangladesh (100.00%)

• Health policy and administrative management:
Health policy and administrative management (12110) (6.00%)
Medical education/training (12181) (2.00%)
Medical services (12191) (2.00%)
• Basic health care:
Basic health care (12220) (15.00%)
Basic health infrastructure (12230) (20.00%)
Basic nutrition (12240) (4.00%)
Infectious disease control (12250) (3.00%)
Health education (12261) (2.00%)
Tuberculosis control (12263) (2.00%)
Health personnel development (12281) (3.00%)
• Reproductive health care:
Reproductive health care (13020) (20.00%)
Family planning (13030) (10.00%)
STD control including HIV/AIDS (13040) (1.00%)
Personnel development for population and reproductive health (13081) (10.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Children's issues (principal objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (principal objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)

This project seeks to improve the health of the population in all districts of Bangladesh by strengthening the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's management of the public health care system and by improving public health services. The project forms the cornerstone of Canada's support for achieving development objectives in the health sector in Bangladesh and its main focus is to help implement the Ministry’s Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program. The project activities include: (1) improving the financial management of the Ministry's aid budget; (2) procuring obstetric drugs and family planning supplies in low performing districts with high maternal, newborn and child mortality rates; (3) updating the regulatory framework for the accreditation of health personnel; (4) improving the planning, development and management of human resources for health; (5) increasing the availability of maternal health services; and (6) developing and implementing a monitoring and evaluation plan within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As with all pooled funding initiatives, Canada is working in close cooperation with other donors and the Government of Bangladesh to focus on effective, transparent, and accountable country systems; increase donor coordination and harmonization; and strengthen mutual accountability. This project is continuously monitored and evaluated in coordination with other donors, which include the World Bank, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, Germany and the United States.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: strengthened Ministry of Health and Family Welfare management of core components of the public health care system; and improved health services provided by the public health care system.

Results achieved with the support of Canada and other donors at the end of the project (2016) include: (1) the percentage of births attended by a skilled birth attendant increased from 32% in 2011 to 42% in 2014, including 631,792 deliveries at facilities; (2) antenatal care coverage (at least 4 ANC visits) increased from 19.9% in 2011 to 31% in 2014; (3) maternal mortality ratio in the target districts decreased from 194 in 2010 to 176 in 2015; (4) between 2007 and 2014 the infant mortality rate fell from 52 to 38 per thousand births; under 5 mortality rates fell from 65 to 46 per thousand births; under 5 growth stunting decreased from 43.2% to 36.1% and underweight among children under 5 decreased from 41% to 32.6%, indicating that nutrition is improving. Breastfeeding increased from 43.0% in 2011 to 55.3% in 2014; (5) 82.5% of children aged 12-23 months received all scheduled vaccines by 12 months of age; (6) Nationwide, contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 61.7% in 2011 to 62.4% in 2014. Modern contraceptive coverage in the two low performance districts covered by the program increased between 2011 and 2014 and exceeded the targets: in Sylhet from 35.7% in 2011 to 45% in 2014, and in Chittagong from 46.8% in 2011 to 49.5% in 2014; (7) unmet need for family planning (FP) reduced from 17.1% in 2011 to 12% in 2014; and (8) 28 women-friendly hospital initiative (WFHI) facilities were established. At the end of the project, health systems, including planning processes and allocation of health spending, were substantially improved. These results contributed to improving the health and nutrition status of the population of Bangladesh, especially women and children under five. Source: the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014.

• Proactive disclosure