Incentives for pregnant mothers, children

Bangladesh is going to introduce cash incentives for poor pregnant mothers and under-five children in seven northern districts to improve maternal and child health.

The local government ministry and health ministry today signed an agreement in this regard at the health ministry, according to a health ministry statement.

Under the five-year project titled “Income Support for the Poor”, pregnant women will get Tk 200 for four times if they go to the health facility for check-up.

Each poor mother will get Tk 500 per month till her child becomes 2-year-old. Moreover, she will get Tk 1,000 in every three months till the child turns 5-year-old. The money will be given for the check-up of their children.

A pregnant woman and mother will also get Tk 500 for attending a workshop on child nutrition and development, the statement added.

Around six lakh women of 42 upazilas in Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Sherpur will be benefited from the project starting in April this year.

The beneficiaries will get the cash through postal cash cards to be given to the expecting mothers who will be selected from the poverty database.

The initiative is taken at a time when at least 194 women per 100,000 die during childbirth, while under-five mortality rate is 41 per 1,000 live births.

Also, more than one-third of the under-five children suffer from malnutrition in Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh has progressed much over the years in cutting child and maternal mortality rates. It will progress further with the cash incentives to be given to the pregnant women and mothers,” said Health Minister Mohammed Nasim at the agreement signing ceremony.