PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has expressed concern over the Benazir Income Support Programme’s decision to hand over the Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP) to non-governmental organisations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said it should be allowed to continue carrying out the anti-malnutrition initiative to support health of poverty-stricken mothers and infant children.

The programme is meant to address pregnancy-related issues and ensure healthy growth of children up to the age of two years, according to officials.

In a letter to the BISP chairperson, provincial health adviser Ihtesham Ali said his department wanted to retain the role for the implementation of the BNP to protect the programme’s continuity, ensure its efficiency and uphold the principles of the provincial autonomy by serving the interests of the people of the province.

He said it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2020 under which it was required to run the initiative until 2026.

Requests BISP to return Benazir Nashonuma Programme to it

The adviser pointed out that the department had successfully spearheaded the BNP for the last four years, achieving exceptional milestones that had been acknowledged not only within the province but across the country as well.

He said that with 152 facilitation centres established in public sector hospitals in the province, the programme had been delivering efficient services to mothers and infants.

“These life-changing services still continue,” he said.

Mr Ali said that the programme success was commendable in light of the challenges posed by the volatile situation in merged tribal districts.

He said the department had so far been able to maintain its integrity and operational efficiency, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to public welfare, but concerns had been raised regarding the proposed changes to the programme’s implementation modalities despite the signing of MoU with the department that was valid until 2026.

The health adviser insisted that those changes, which included transfer of operational responsibility to NGOs for purported transparency, were “deeply troubling” so they needed to be opposed.

He said the department possessed the constitutional mandate, legislative authority and executive capacity to oversee public health initiatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“As such, any modifications to the implementation framework of the BNP, including the establishment of new centres or recruitment process must receive prior consent from the department,” he said.

Mr Ali said in view of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, under which health was a provincial subject, any unilateral changes that bypassed provincial oversight not only undermined the programme’s success but also violated constitutional principles.

He added that it was imperative that the legislative and constitutional framework prevail in such matters, ensuring that the health department retains full authority over the program’s implementation within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The health department values its partnership with the BISP and recognises the BNP as a flagship initiative for national development. Given its proven track record under the department’s management and the complex nature of the region, it is strongly recommended that the programme continue to operate under the health department’s leadership,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources in the health department said that BISP had engaged the World Food Programme that was getting NGOs’ services for its implementation without consultation with the department.

They said the department had been achieving the targets every year and that in the current year, it had facilitated more than 700,000 people, and achieved 94 per cent of the target.

The sources said two to three rooms in health facilities were provided to the programme for offering health support to pregnant and lactating women and their babies.

They said as part of advocacy, women were given pre- and post-natal consultation about theirs and the health and dietary regimens of their infants.

The sources said the women came to the centres that were fully protected where they were examined and given the required advice.

They said recently, BIPS ended outreach services, impacting women.

The sources said that it wasn’t possible for NGOs to work in a volatile environment, especially in the merged districts, so allowing the department to continue with the programme would benefit the people who had trust in the government and not NGOs.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2024