Pakistan, Japan ink agreement for child healthcare facilities in South Punjab

Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan and Japan have entered into a new partnership aimed at improving medical care for children in South Punjab through a grant of $18.62 million.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday in Islamabad at the Ministry of Economic Affairs under a project titled Improvement of Child Health Care Facilities in South Punjab.

The documents were signed and exchanged by Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Muhammad Humair Karim and Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Akamatsu Shuichi, representing their respective governments.

Under this arrangement, the Japanese government will provide nearly $18.62 million through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as part of its Grant-in-Aid programme.

The funding will be used to upgrade and modernise diagnostic and treatment services at the Children Hospital and the Institute of Child Health in Multan.

The project is designed to strengthen these facilities as the only specialised tertiary-care centres in the region by expanding infrastructure and supplying essential medical equipment needed to care for high-risk newborns, infants and children suffering from serious illnesses or injuries.

These improvements are expected to raise the overall standard of paediatric healthcare not only in South Punjab but also in nearby provinces.

Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Akamatsu expressed Japan's resolve to continue working closely with Pakistan to further enhance mutual relations and deepen bilateral cooperation.