The Bhutanese Leading the way.
During the Third Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Fourth Parliament, Member of Parliament (MP) of Kengkhar Weringla constituency, Dorji Wangmo, raised a question to the Minister of Health regarding the Accelerating Maternal and Child Health Program (AMCHP).
This initiative provides mothers and their newborn babies, up to the age of two, with a conditional cash transfer of Nu 1,500 per month. Only women with new born babies who are financially challenged are eligible for the support, hence the term “conditional cash transfer.”
During the MP’s research, she found that mothers seeking to benefit from this program must respond to a series of questions through an assessment system, which then determines their eligibility for the initiative.
The MP highlighted that the primary concern raised by many women relates to disparities in the results, particularly among those from similarly challenged socioeconomic backgrounds. “Even the mothers who has same economic background or any simliar qualifications, one gets it and the other does not,” said the MP Dorji Wangmo.
Another issue addressed by the MP was about some of the women not receiving the amount for three months.
In response, Health Minister, Tandin Wangchuk, explained that the program aims to ensure that newborn babies, until they reach the age of two, receive proper healthcare to support healthy brain development and address other related concerns.
Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk agreed that the concerns raised by the women may indeed be valid and that such issues might have occurred. He said, “This program is sponsored by Japan Government and World Bank, where the budget allocated by them is Nu 202.13 million.”
Lyonpo also shared that the recipients are required to answer 19 questions through a system developed by the World Bank, which determines their eligibility for the program based on their responses.
Lyonpo further clarified that the ministry would have preferred to provide the benefit to all mother, but since the program is funded by external sponsors, the implementation must follow the standards and guidelines set by those sponsors, which require support to be given based on the socio-economic background of the recipients.
To this, the MP, in her follow-up question to the minister, asked whether the program, being sponsored by an international government, would be just for time-being. The minister replied that the program will continue until 2027.
Lyonpo said, “Until now the program has been implemented for 7 times costing Nu 63.9 mn which remains Nu 138.23 mn.” The minister shared that all women with newborn babies, in 20 dzongkhags with financially unstable backgrounds receive the support, mostly in Thimphu, followed by Samtse.
When addressing the issue of recipients who did not receive the conditional cash transfer for three months, Lyonpo shared that, “When the ministry asked the sponsors for Nu 60 million, the ministry only received Nu 30 million as it was to be allocated phase wise. However, starting this month the ministry will get Nu 60 million and so will the recipients get it without further delay.”
The program is designed to benefit mothers and their children from birth until the age of two, providing financial support that can be used as a travel allowance for mothers who need to journey long distances to healthcare centers, as well as to ensure adequate nutritional food for their babies.
