WB pledges US$ 176 million financial assistance to Nepal for implementation of projects on health, food securityThe World Bank has pledged financial assistance of 176 million US dollars to Nepal for implementation of two projects on health sector and food security. According to a World Bank press release, an amount of 129.2 million dollar has been earmarked under health, Nutrition, Population and HIV/AIDS project to support Nepal government's five year Health Sector Programme beginning this year. The project will support expansion and strengthening of cost effective intervention to improve maternal and child health to prevent impact of non-communicable diseases.Under the Social sector Nets Project, the World Bank has agreed to provide additional financing to the tune of 48.3 million dollars to improve food security and create opportunities for increasing agricultural production in food insecure districts.Nepal's Finance Secretary Rameshwor Prasad Khanal and World Bank Country Director Susan Goldmark signed two agreements in Kathmandu yesterday for implementation of the two projects.According to the World Bank, the Social Safety Nets Project, started in September 2008 has supported 28 chronically food insecure districts of Nepal including Sunsari and Saptari districts affected by Kosi floods.It is estimated that 3.7 million people are currently facing food insecurity. According to the World Bank, one in nearly every seven Nepalese do not have enough food at home to feed themselves and their families and one in nearly three child under age of five is underweight.The two projects will help address the twin problems linked relating to health services and food security.. While Nepal has made progress in health sector, malnutrition has worsened over the years, the World Bank said.