KABUL - USAID director for Afghanistan William Hammink on Tuesday said the agency would spend $60 million to help improve mother and child healthcare services in the war-torn country.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz in Kabul.

The USAID country director said the amount would be spent in 21 provinces where such facilities were in fewer numbers.

He said the five-year Maternal and Child Survival Programme would be executed in Afghanistan by Jhpiego, a global nonprofit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.

He said the programme would be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in areas most affected with regard to the health of mothers and children.

Sources said Zabul, Takhar, Paktia, Paktika, Panjsher, Laghman, Nimroz, Nangarhar, Kunar, Khost, Kapisa, Jawzjan, Herat, Helmand, Ghor, Ghazni, Faryab, Daikundi, Balkh, Baghlan and Badakhshan are among the 21 provinces where the programme aimed at reducing maternal, newborn, and child deaths will be implemented.

Public Health Minister Feroz thanked the USAID for its support. He said out of 100,000 mothers, 327 lost their lives during childbirths.

With execution of the USAID project, he said, the maternal deaths would decline to 255.

He promised his ministry would strictly observe the programme during its implementation and would evaluate its results regularly. (Pajhwok)