·, -~OR· IMMED.iA!E R .LE.ASE .. World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.•Te!ephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NfWS RELEASE NO. 82/64 Contact: Pushpa Schwartz May 6, 1982 (202) 477-5306 FOUR NATIONS TO JOIN IDA IN SUPPORTING $61 MILLION FAMILY PLAHHING PROJECT IH KENYA The bilateral aid agencies of Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States will join the International Development Association (IDA) in supporting a rural health and family planning project in Kenya. Two United Nations agencies, United Nations Children's Fund and United Nations Fund for Population Activities,will also contribute funds to the $61.3 million project. Support from the World Bank's affiliate is in the form of a long-term con- cessionary credit amounting to SOR 20.5 million ($23 million). Rapid growth of population is a serious problem in Kenya as it places a heavy burden on the economy and puts pressure on the land available for cultivation. Kenya~s 3.9% per annum population increase is the highest recorded for any country. At such a high rate, Kenya's present population of nearly 16 million could jump to 250 mi11ion by the year 2050. The multinational effort to help the Kenyan government reduce population growth and offer better health care to rural areas centers on the education of the rural people to the benefits of family planning and the provision of family planning services throughout the country. The information and education program on population and family planning will be carried out by the new National Council on Population and Development, located in the Office of the Vice President and Ministry of Home Affairs. The project will provide funds for equipment and operating and maintenance costs to establish about 300 new maternal and child health and family planning units in existing facilities operated by the Ministry of Health. In addition, similar units will be set up in some 30 health centers and dispensaries operated by non- governmenta 1 organ i za1t ions. NOTE: IDA credit~ are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), which are valued on the basis of a "basket" of currencies. The U.S. dollar equivalent of the SOR amount of the IDA credit reflects the exchange rates existing at the time of negotiation of the credit. • •• I t W I - 2 - Ad~itiona1 staff at a11 1eve1s from patient attendants to pub1ic hea1th • officers wi11 be provided under the project to staf the expanded rura1 health facilities. Funds wi11 be inc1uded in the project for equipment, vehic1es, and operating and maintenance costs to support an expanded nationwide program to provide rural hea1th faci1ities with a steady f1ow of essential drugs. Participating in the project are re1igious and other vo1unteer organizations. They are: Family Planning Association of Kenya, and Maendeleo ya Wanawake, Kenya's largest women's organization. Re1igious organizations associated with the project are: National Christian Council of Kenya, Protestant Churches Medical Association, .0 and the Salvation Army • The IDA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace. It carries no ,. interest but bears a service charge of 3/4 of 1% per annum. Apart from IDA, funding for the project will be provided by: Danish Agency for International Development, $8.5 million; Swedish International Development Authority, $9.8 million; British Overseas Development Association, $1.2 million; and United States Agency for International Development, $4 million. The United Nations Children's Fund will contribute $700,000,while the United Nations Fund for Populati~ Activities will make available $600,000 to the project. - 0 - • ~ '· ··s '. dtw • t '•· Mt