DUSHANBE, November 26, 2008, Asia-Plus — The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed an agreement on implementation of the project “Minimizing Health Impacts of Extreme Climate Events” with a total amount of CHF 381,000.
According to the SDC Dushanbe office, following the harsh winter of 2007 the Government of Tajikistan requested assistance of the international community in dealing with consequences of the cold wave and the related energy crisis, which, among other alarming aftermaths, seriously affected the health system (mainly at a hospital level) and the population health status. The present project was developed by the WHO as an integral part of the Flash Appeal designed by the international donor community in response to the Government’s request, and meets priority efforts that had been defined in a mid-term perspective; it will help elaborate preventive and preparedness measures building upon lessons learnt from the last winter.
The project will be implemented by the WHO in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, RT and is designed to assist the Government of Tajikistan in its efforts to improve preparedness of health care facilities for providing adequate and timely services, particularly during the cold waves, in order to prevent avoidable deaths and morbidities. Although designed in a humanitarian context the project is in line with the ongoing interventions of the SDC in the Health Care domain where the main accent is put on improving management and quality of the service delivery.
The total amount provided by the Government of Switzerland to Tajikistan through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation for emergency support to address the 2007/08 compound crisis is more than CHF 2,393,464.
