On Monday August 23, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Tajikistan Japan’s, Mr. Takayuki Miyashita, attended a handover ceremony to commemorate the successful completion of “The Project for Construction of Health Care Center in Pitob Village, Suchon Jamoat, Shugnan District.

The Japanese Embassy in Dushanbe says the project was implemented within the framework of Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).  The Government of Japan reportedly provided the total grant amount of US$45,123 to the Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan to construct Health Care Center, storage and two toilets and provide medical equipment.

Prior to the project implementation, the medical point of Pitob village was dilapidated and did not have enough medical equipment, so majority of the local people of the village needed to go to Khorog city to get treatment.  Currently, a new building of the Health Care Center with five rooms was constructed and the necessary equipment was installed, and around 2,000 residents of Pitob village have got access to improved medical services.

During the ceremony, Mr. Miyashita made the following remarks, “It is a great pleasure for me to congratulate the completion of this only-one Health Center in the village, together with you all.  This new facility and a lot of high-quality equipment provided by this project will definitely contribute to the accurate diagnosis and proper treatment for the patients.  Now, the residents need not go to the big hospitals, far away from here, when they do not feel well or got sick.  This will be a very important foundation for a long, healthy and happy life of the people.  I really hope the facility and the equipment will be maintained properly and be used for many years.  Hopefully residents of the next generation will get also benefit from this Center.”

Along with the staff of Health Care Center of Pitob Village and representatives of local government of Shugnan district, the handover ceremony was also attended by chairperson of Shugnan District Juma Jumazoda, and Head of Aga Khan Foundation in Tajikistan Kishwar Abdulalishoyev.  The attendees in turn extended their words of gratitude to the Government and people of Japan for their support.

The Government of Japan is dedicated to continuing its support for creating a better society for all people and committed to working together with the people of Tajikistan.

The Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP) is a scheme within Japan’s Official Development Assistance.  GGP in particular implements grassroots-level projects in various sectors throughout the Republic of Tajikistan.  Recipients of GGP grants include local governments, educational and medical institutions, and NGOs.  As of today, GGP has supported 424 projects in Tajikistan, for which US$34.3 million has been allocated since 1996.