MEHERPUR, Feb 24: A total of 2,305 ultra-poor expecting mothers at Gangni upazila in the district have not got either money or other facilities of demand-side financing (DSF) under Maternal Health Voucher Scheme for the fiscal years 2014-15 and 2015-16, in absence of fund allotment.
Some 1,057 expecting mothers were also not provided with money and materials for the current year.
The DSF committee and Upazila Health Complex (UHC) have no idea when they will get fund allocation.
The foreign funded pilot project is for maternal and neonatal health. The scheme includes payment of money in cash for the both ante-natal and post-natal care, and the gift box that contains baby food, baby soap, a big towel, two sets of baby clothing and one large bottle of nutritious drink powder etc.
But the ultra-poor mothers are being deprived of the service components covered by the voucher.
According to Gangni UHC sources, foreign funded pilot project provides money for the both antenatal care and postnatal care and other related materials. Field workers prepare the list of disadvantaged pregnant women and submit it to the Union DSF Committee for the approval and later send it to the Upazila DSF Committee.
Based on the report, money is allocated for the expecting mothers to ensure their proper nourishment.
The names of 2305 mothers of the Gangni upazila for the fiscal 2014-15 and 2015-16 were sent to the DSF committee demanding an allocation of Tk 42,83700 to MNC&AH Office at Mohakhali, Dhaka. But no allotment was received as yet. Apart from this, Allotments for only 300 mothers were received against 1,357 mothers during the current year.
Demanding fund the Gangni UHC authority sent letters to Director of PHC and Line Director of MNC&AH, Mohakhali, Dhaka on May 15 and November 23, 2016. But no allotment is yet to get even after repeated reminders. Deserving mothers used to tell rough language to the UP health workers. Some are creating obstacle to preparing the mothers' list saying that the project is fake one.
Abdur Rashid the designated officer of the DSF project of the UHC said, they used to send letters every after three months demanding necessary money allotment, but no allotment has been received till now. As a result no deserving mothers enrolled their names during the last three months.
MK Reza, Resident Medical Officer of Gangni UHC said, they did not get budget and allocation for the expecting mothers, and no reply from the concerned authorities has been received till the date. Due to lack of money, the field workers are facing many problems.
Gangni Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arizuz Zaman, also president of the DSF Implementation Committee, said that he knew the matter and requested the authorities concerned to give the fund allotment, but no reply reached here yet. However, they are trying to solve the problem as soon as possible, he added.
