Somali Joint Health and Nutrition Programme (JHNP)

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

Finland has supported Somalia's Joint-Health and Nutrition Programme (JHNP) since 2014. Finland's contribution to the programme has been 12.5 million euros. The main objective of the programme is to improve the health and nutrition status of the Somali population. As a result of this, maternal and infant mortality has reduced significantly. The programme also supports the institutional development of the Somali health care system. The primary beneficiaries of the programme are women, girls and children whose access to health services is relatively the weakest. The programme is managed by UNICEF. Other UN partners include WHO and UNFPA. The programme has achieved most of the planned results. It is supposed to be ending by the end of 2016, and replaced by new programmes and projects. The planned budget has however not realized and the programme is severely under-resourced. At the same time, the planning of the new programmes and initiatives that are supposed to replace JHNP in 2017 has delayed. The Somali authorities and the UN have therefore requested the donors to continue their support to the core elements of the programme, including the Essential Package of Health Services (health clinics) and the ongoing training of midwifes, and to extend the duration of the programme until April-2017. The Department for Africa and the Middle East proposes to increase Finland's funding to the programme by 3M€.