Islamabad: A consultative meeting on the Benazir Nashonuma Program ( BNP) was held on Tuesday at the BISP Headquarters, chaired by Senator Rubina Khalid, Chairperson BISP. The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including Secretary Health KP, Adeel Shah, accompanied by his core team on BNP, and the Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ms. Coco Ushiyama, along with her team, to discuss ongoing program activities and strategies for enhanced collaboration.

During the meeting, DG CCT/NSER Dr. Asim Ijaz provided an update on the ongoing activities of the Benazir Nashonuma Program in KPK.

The Benazir Nashonuma Program is the flagship initiative of BISP which is being implemented in 147 districts across the country. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), BISP has partnered with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Department of Health (DoH) to execute the program through 148 established Facilitation Centers.

To date, the program has enrolled 2.78 million beneficiaries nationwide, out of which 824,891 are enrolled in KP. These beneficiaries receive healthcare services, Special Nutritious Food along with Iron and Folic Acid supplements. KP ranks second in the country in terms of the number of enrolled beneficiaries.

Chairperson BISP Senator Rubina Khalid directed the steering committee to convene weekly meetings and emphasized the importance of transparency and efficient resolution of complaints through the Grievance Redressal Committee.

Secretary BISP, Amer Ali Ahmad, encouraged all stakeholders to adopt a more proactive approach in addressing any concerns raised on various forums. It was reaffirmed that BISP is committed to continuing the Benazir Nashonuma Program in KP.

Chairperson BISP also rejected recent false media reports regarding BNP in KP, expressing BISP's full confidence in the Department of Health (DoH) KP and highlighting its critical role in supporting the program. Secretary Health KP, Adeel Shah, appreciated WFP's contributions in KP, particularly in supporting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), education, and other projects.

Senator Rubina Khalid commended Department of Health, KP for facilitating and extending its structure and services to support the Benazir Nashonuma Program in the province.