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West Bank and Gaza

ACTIVITY DATA SHEET

PROGRAM: West Bank and Gaza
TITLE AND NUMBER: Healthier Palestinian Families, 294-007
STATUS: Continuing
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $5,090,000 ESF; $30,000,000 Wye*
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $4,590,000 ESF
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1999    ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2004

Summary: The most serious health problems facing mothers and children in the West Bank and Gaza derive from high fertility with short birth intervals, along with weaknesses in clinical and outreach services. Rates of premature births and low birth weight babies are high. Nutritional problems among mothers and children are common, and contribute to health problems; more than 40% of women of childbearing age have some degree of anemia. Less than 50% of pregnant mothers receive adequate antenatal care and only 18% of mothers receive postpartum care. At the same time, some of the highest population growth rates in the world-4.1% for Gaza and 3.6% for the West Bank-pose major impediments to economic development and social stability, and mitigate the achievement of donor and Palestinian development goals. Studies suggest a strong unmet demand for modern family planning methods.

Under USAID's "Selected Development Needs Met" (294-005), USAID initiated its pilot health activity by funding two U.S. private voluntary organizations (PVOs) in FY 1999 to upgrade clinical and outreach services in order to improve maternal/child health and increase the use of modern contraceptive methods. In FY 2000, USAID provided additional support to U.S.-based implementing partners to expand assistance, primarily in studies on the health status of Palestinians. In FY 2000, USAID developed a full-scale, multi-year program to strengthen ongoing health activities and expand assistance into areas that will improve the health of mothers and children.

Key Results: Three results are necessary for the success of this objective: (1) improved timing of births; (2) improved reproductive health; and (3) improved infant/child health and nutrition.

Performance and Prospects:

Pilot Health Program: In FY 1999, USAID initiated a pilot health activity and awarded grants with a total estimated value of $3.4 million to two U.S. private voluntary organizations to implement programs in the northern and southern West Bank and in Gaza. In FY 2001, USAID will fund a series of studies to determine the health habits of Palestinians and also provide support to a Palestinian Ministry in Global Information System mapping. This pilot program will end in FY 2001. In FY 2001, USAID will provide $1.3 million in FY 2000 carryover funds to support these activities. No FY 2001 or FY 2002 New Obligation Authority (NOA) funds will be used for this activity.

Improved Village and Community Health Services Program: In FY 2001-02, USAID will expand the number of additional clinic sites it will refurbish through the new Improved Village and Community Health Services program. Activities will also improve hospital maternity services, provide management training for clinic staff, develop a management information system to assist in family planning, undertake nutrition interventions, and introduce media activities to spread information about ways to promote good health. In FY 2001, USAID will provide $2.15 million in FY 2001 NOA funds and $30 million in Wye funds to support these activities. In FY 2002, USAID will provide $4.6 million in NOA funds to support this activity.

Emergency Health Activities: In FY 2001, USAID will fund a series of emergency health activities through a U.S. PVO umbrella grant. These activities may include the provision of medical supplies, training to emergency medical staff, and equipment to upgrade clinics. In FY 2001, USAID will provide $2.94 million in NOA funds to support these activities. No FY 2002 NOA funds will be used for this activity.

Possible Adjustments to Plans/Wye Funding: Because of the breakdown in relations between the Palestinians and Israelis, USAID intends to make several program changes related to Wye supplemental funds. Due to an increase in the emergency medical needs of Palestinians, USAID may provide up to $5 million in emergency assistance in FY 2001 NOA to support the work of U.S. and Palestinian health-related nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working in the West Bank and Gaza. Wye funding for health sector activities has increased by $10 million over USAID's FY 2001 Budget Justification. This increase was provided from funds originally intended to support border industrial estates.

Other Donor Programs: Other donor governments and institutions are involved in the health sector, but their efforts tend to be directed at national health policy issues and broad-scale strengthening of the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Health. Japan and the European Union (EU), the two largest donors in this area, primarily fund equipment and construction of health care facilities. No donors are working on a concerted, integrated basis on primary health care problems. Additional assistance in the health sector has been provided, on an emergency basis by the EU, Canada, and Arab countries to address the acute shortage of supplies, equipment, and training resulting from the uprising.

Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: U.S. PVOs (The Population Council and CARE) and Palestinian NGOs have formed a partnership to implement the pilot health program. Other U.S.-based implementing partners include Johns Hopkins University and MACRO International. The expanded village program will be implemented by a U.S. contractor, which will work with a range of U.S. and local groups.


* Of the $31,287,000 FY 2000 ESF Wye Supplemental carryover, $30,000,000 is being notified for this activity. The remaining $1,287,000 was previously notified.

FY 2002 Performance Table

West Bank and Gaza: 294-007

Performance Measures:

Indicator FY97
(Actual)
FY98
(Actual)
FY99
(Actual)
FY00
(Actual)
FY00
(Plan)
FY01
(Plan)
FY02
(Plan)
Indicator 1: Postpartum return visits by mother and babyNANANA26.3NANANA
Indicator 2: Increased breastfeedingNANANA28.8NANANA
Indicator 3: Percentage of couples in targeted groups accepting tthe use of contaception in a yearNANANA36.7NANANA

Indicator Information:

Indicator Level (S) or (IR) Unit of Measure Source Indicator Description
Indicator 1:IRPercentServices statisticsPercentage of women and infants who return within 40 days to health facilities to received postpartum care. Indicator will change in outyears due to the "ratcheting down" of indicators so that they are the manageable interest of Mission programming.
Indicator 2:IRPercent of infants breastfedServices statistics (MIS)Percentage of infants 0-12 months who have been exclusively breastfed for at least 6 months. Indicator will change in outyears due to the "ratcheting down" of indicators so that they are the manageable interest of Mission programming.
Indicator 3:IRCouple year percentService statisticsAn estimate of the protection against pregnancy provided by family planning services during a period of one year, based upon the volume that year. Indicator will change in outyears due to the "ratcheting down" of indicators so that they are the manageable interest of Mission programming.

U.S. Financing

(In thousands of dollars)

  Obligations   Expenditures   Unliquidated  
Through September 30, 1999    0 DA 0 DA 0 DA
0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD
0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF
0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED
0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA
0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
Fiscal Year 2000 0 DA 0 DA  
0 CSD 0 CSD
0 ESF 0 ESF
0 SEED 0 SEED
0 FSA 0 FSA
0 DFA 0 DFA
Through September 30, 2000 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA
0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD
402 ESF 0 ESF 402 ESF
0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED
0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA
0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
Prior Year Unobligated Funds* 0 DA  
0 CSD
31,287 ESF
0 SEED
0 FSA
0 DFA
Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 0 DA  
0 CSD
5,090 ESF
0 SEED
0 FSA
0 DFA
Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 0 DA  
0 CSD
36,377 ESF
0 SEED
0 FSA
0 DFA
      Future Obligations  Est. Total Cost 
Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA
0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD
4,590 ESF 10,000 ESF 51,369 ESF
0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED
0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA
0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA

* Of the $31.287 million FY 2000 ESF Wye Supplemental carryover, $30.0 million is being notified for this activity. The remaining $1.287 million was previously notified.

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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002