KARACHI: The services related to family planning and reproductive health are being declared ‘essential services’ so that they are not discontinued in any situation arising out of pandemic or natural disaster.

This was stated by Health and Population Welfare Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho while chairing the 16th meeting of the Sindh Family Planning 2020 Working Group in Karachi.

A number of health experts from the public and private sectors were in attendance.

Dr Pechuho told the meeting that contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) doubled in the province due to comprehensive reforms.

The Sindh government, she pointed out, would continue its efforts with the aim of increasing the CPR rate up to 43 per cent by 2025 and 50pc by 2030 under international commitments.

“A total of 392 government dispensaries will be refurbished in remote areas where community midwives will provide health services round-the-clock. Family welfare centres of the population welfare department are being shifted to health facilities to enhance service delivery,” she said.

The aim is to continue service delivery during pandemic or natural disaster, says minister

Qasim Siraj Soomro, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, informed the participants that the government had revitalised six government dispensaries in the far-flung areas of Tharparkar which would greatly uplift basic maternal and child health services in the community.

More government dispensaries would be activated in Tharparkar, he added.

Dr Talib Lashari, the technical adviser at the population welfare department, shared the milestones achieved so far and said the health and population welfare departments and the Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) had revived family planning services up to 80pc following a decline in Covid-19 pandemic spread.

He suggested more concerted and integrated efforts be made within the different tiers of government to work for women empowerment, poverty reduction and adult literacy which, he said, would create the need for family planning on a sustained basis.

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (Szabist) president Shehnaz Wazir Ali spoke about how youth engagement at universities and colleges could help the cause.

The other speakers at the meeting included population welfare department director general Rehan Baloch, USAID representative Dr Shabir Chandio, Bill Gates Foundation representative Dr Yasmeen Qazi, Dr Tabinda Sarosh of Pathfinder International, Dr Tanveer Ahmed of HANDS and Dr Samina Afzal of the Willows International.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2020