Latest news with #healthprojects
Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- Times
Women and children ‘will suffer most from overseas aid cuts'
Britain's aid cuts will increase the number of children dying unnecessarily, an official government review has concluded as ministers scale back support to some of the world's poorest countries. An impact assessment carried out by the Foreign Office warned that plans to reduce spending on health projects in Africa would increase disease and ultimately deaths, particularly among women and children. Planned cuts to education spending in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo would have a 'negative impact' on 170,000 children in former conflict zones, the report added. Ministers announced plans to cut the aid budget by five per cent this year as the government reduces spending from 0.5 per cent of GDP to 0.3 per cent by 2027. Support for Sudan will fall from £145 million in the last financial year to £120 million this year. Aid to Ethiopia will fall from £314 million to £161 million, and Somalia will lose more than £36 million. Total global spending on health projects will fall from £974 million to £527 million. The budget for humanitarian aid, food security and resilience will also be cut. • Some areas have been protected, however, and their budgets will increase. The BBC World Service 's total budget will rise from £104 million to £137 million. Spending on energy, climate and the environment will rise from £414 million to £656 million. Overall, total government spending on official development assistance will fall from £9.2 billion last year to £8.7 billion this year. These cuts will be much deeper next year: the overseas aid budget falls to £6.8 billion before it is reduced again to £6.1 billion in 2027. Ministers said the cuts meant that Britain would have to support organisations with a 'proven track record of impact'. This is likely to lead to significant cuts to bilateral programmes, where Britain directly supports individual countries. Government sources said they were still working through the implications of next year's cuts, which would result in 'difficult choices'. An impact assessment, published alongside the government's new spending plans, said some programmes would be adversely affected immediately. The cuts will affect aid programmes in Kenya immediately DONWILSON ODHIAMBO/GETTY Among those is the hunger safety net programme in Kenya, which the Foreign Office said would have a negative impact given the 'critical role of social protection for poor, vulnerable and marginalised households and groups'. The budget for the programme to support the ending of preventable deaths will also be cut, which the report said would reduce assistance in 11 countries 'at a time when demand is likely to be high given other funding cuts'. Baroness Chapman, the development minister, said the cuts meant the UK needed to 'modernise our approach to international development'. She said: 'Every pound must work harder for UK taxpayers and the people we help around the world and these figures show how we are starting to do just that through having a clear focus and priorities.' Gideon Rabinowitz, the director of policy at Bond, which represents UK aid organisations, said it was clear that the government was 'deprioritising funding for education, gender and countries experiencing humanitarian crises such as South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia'. He said: 'The world's most marginalised communities, particularly those experiencing conflict and women and girls, will pay the highest price for these political choices.'
Malay Mail
27-06-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Health ministry: 12 health facility projects scheduled for 2025 completed, 29 still ongoing
PUTRAJAYA, June 27 — A total of 12 out of 41 health facility construction projects scheduled for this year under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) have been completed as of June 16, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH). Six of the completed projects will soon be officially handed over by the Works Ministry (KKR), with Pasir Gudang Hospital in Johor scheduled for handover on June 29, it added. 'The remaining 29 projects are currently in the implementation phase,' it said in a statement today, issued in conjunction with the MOH Development Action Council (MTPK) meeting, chaired by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad. The MTPK meeting serves as a platform to review the performance of ongoing development projects, assess their current status and coordinate the direction for the close of 12MP while laying the groundwork for the 13MP. The MOH noted that 2024 marks the final acceleration phase to meet 12MP targets, which allocated RM6.74 billion for the implementation of 290 new projects and 389 continuation projects, bringing the total MOH development allocation since 2021 to RM25.84 billion. As of June 16, MOH's development expenditure performance stood at 26.86 per cent, which remains below the national average of 36.31 per cent, the ministry said. The meeting also addressed the need for firmer measures to ensure all projects are completed on schedule. 'This includes a reassessment of contractors' capabilities by the KKR through the Public Works Department (JKR) as the implementing agency, in order to determine appropriate intervention steps, in addition to more rigorous monitoring,' the statement said. Meanwhile, Dr Dzulkefly expressed appreciation to all parties involved in successfully delivering projects on target, while stressing that any weaknesses or lapses in the management and governance of MOH development projects must be taken seriously. 'The MOH top management and all stakeholders are reminded to carry out their responsibilities transparently, swiftly and with full accountability, without compromising access to or the quality of healthcare services for the people,' he said. — Bernama
