TAXILA: Canadian High Commissioner Leslie Scanlon has said that Canada will continue its support for Pakistan in healthcare and social development, particularly focusing on the welfare of women.

Ms Scanlon was addressing as chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of a hospital established by Pakistani-born Canadian nationals Parvez Khan and Aqeel Khan in collaboration with ‘Refugee Girl’, a Canadian-based NGO in Khora Khel village in Hazro.

She said the Canadian government was committed to women’s empowerment, recognising the crucial role they played in society, and ensuring their access to healthcare opportunities for their personal and professional growth.

“Gender equality is not only a basic human right but also a driver for sustainable development and prosperity for all,” Ms Scanlon said.

While mentioning the relations between Pakistan and Canada in the field of healthcare and social development, the Canadian high commissioner said: “... Canada was the first sovereign donor for the eradication of polio for Pakistan, and this cooperation spans over 70 years of long-term committed partnership.”

She said the Canadian government, through the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), successfully launched the ‘Healthy Families’ project for Pakistan aimed at enhancing the reproductive health and rights of women, adolescents and youth in areas with poor reproductive health indicators.

Ms Scanlon said that the project seeks to empower them to exercise their reproductive rights without coercion or discrimination, besides providing access to safe, effective, and affordable family planning methods and appropriate healthcare services for safe pregnancies and childbirth.

She added that the project aimed to tackle gender and social obstacles while also empowering communities with maternal, neonatal, child health, and family planning services.

The Canadian diplomat reaffirmed her commitment to remain constructively engaged in further reinforcing bilateral relations, as there were a number of sectors that had huge potential for cooperation, especially social development, women’s empowerment, and the health sector.

She praised Mr Parvez and his family for providing better health care facilities to the people in rural areas, adding that the medical center, more than a building, symbolises a better future for the people, particularly women and girls, as otherwise access to better health services is a dream for them.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2024