Following a series of consultations throughout 2010, UNFPA Lebanon office signed in early January 2011 a new project with the Ministry of Public Health aiming at supporting the sector reform by strengthening health performance and systems along border areas – mostly in underserviced regions - with emphasis on reproductive health and maternal health. This partnership complements an ongoing joint collaboration between the Ministry and the Italian Cooperation. The key interventions that will be supported by UNFPA will focus primarily on expanding the RH package to include GBV and VCT services, strengthening referral services from primary to secondary care, enhancing outreach services on safe motherhood at secondary care level, and developing an RH commodity security strategy. The Ministry’s contribution to this project amounts to $372,000. A high level steering committee chaired by the Ministry’s director general meets monthly to review and oversee progress.
