KABUL, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health announced on Sunday that it had signed a 4.31-million-U.S.-dollar agreement with the Bu Ali Rehabilitation and Aid Network to strengthen essential healthcare services in the central mountainous province of Daykundi.

Under the one-year deal, healthcare services will be delivered to 569,213 residents through 55 health facilities and 373 family health houses across the province, according to an official statement released by the ministry.

Beyond direct health benefits, the project is expected to generate 1,377 jobs in the local health sector, offering a modest boost to economic activity across the underdeveloped province, the statement added.

Daykundi is one of Afghanistan's most isolated and rugged provinces, where difficult terrain makes access to basic public services particularly challenging for many communities. ■