Announcement of Papa New Guinea to Focus on Women's Health and Family Planning on April 14, 1993

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. * Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 93/80EAP Contact: Erin Burns (202) 458-2210 External Affairs - EAPVP PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO FOCUS ON WOMEN'S HEALTH AND FAMILY PLANNING WASHINGTON, April 14, 1993--The Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is launching a program to extend the use of family planning in order to improve the health of women and children and curtail burgeoning population growth. The program supports the Government's population policy, announced in March 1991. A World Bank loan of $6.9 million is assisting the effort. With an annual population growth rate of approximately 3 percent, the population of PNG will reach 7.3 million by the year 2010. almost doubling current figures. This growth is a result of declining mortality and high fertility rates and is rapidly outpacing the country's potential for socio- economic and human resource development. The Population and Family Planning Project will bring population growth and economic development into balance and will improve the health of mothers and children through greater use of family planning. The institutional capacity for a more comprehensive family planning program will be strengthened while non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and churches will participate to help ensure the program's reach and continuity. Specifically, the project will upgrade health facilities, support fixed facility and outreach services, provide training in clinical and communication skills, and increase staffing to enhance program management. Support for the long-term capacity of the population program will include the supply and distribution of contraceptives and related drugs; training, technical assistance and financial support for relevant NGOs and the development of a health and family planning promotion unit. The project will initially concentrate on provinces with relatively high population densities including East New Britain, Eastern Highlands, Morobe, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands and the National capital District. Over time, program activities will be extended on a national scale. This is the first World Bank loan to PNG in the population and health sector. The project was developed jointly between the Government of PNG, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (AIDAB). The total cost of the project is $32.7 million. The Government of PNG is providing $9 million, while the ADB and the AIDAB are providing $6.8 and $10 million respectively. The World Bank loan is repayable over 20 years, with five years of grace, at the Bank's standard variable interest rate, currently 7.43 percent. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalent.