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LAHORE
LACK of awareness and inadequate political support hamper the efforts to meet Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 concerning reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) problems, which are still leading causes of death in the country. Speakers during the third of a series of seminars on RMNCH added political will was essential to make maternal and child health a national priority. They said. “Although promising changes in Punjab regarding antenatal care and skilled attendance have been achieved but much more is needed to be done.”
The moot was organized by Aga Khan University’s Division of Women and Child Health at Lahore on Monday with the support of USAID at a local hotel.
Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta of the Women and Child Health division said Pakistan faced challenges in maternal, newborn and child health. He said each year an estimated 5,000 women died due to maternal complications along with 64,000 newborns and nearly as many children. He said their lives were lost due to inadequate healthcare facilities.
“With concerted efforts and actual practice, over two-thirds of all unnecessary maternal, newborn and child deaths can be avoided,” he said adding it’s time our policy makers divert some attention and resources towards this.
Dr Samia Malik of KEMU healthcare facilities in Punjab both in government as well as private hospitals were inadequate given the province’s rapidly growing population of 72 million. “High fertility rates and low trends of contraceptive use are just some of the challenges and the situation would not worsen if proper attention was nor paid.
Dr Nabeela Ali, Chief of Party, USAID Technical Assistance Unit for Health, said there was an urgent need to address the governance and budgetary issues that hindered progress. Increased allocation to health and its proper utilisation will help, she added.
Representatives from political parties, civil society organisations and religious parties attended the seminar.
LACK of awareness and inadequate political support hamper the efforts to meet Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 concerning reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) problems, which are still leading causes of death in the country. Speakers during the third of a series of seminars on RMNCH added political will was essential to make maternal and child health a national priority. They said. “Although promising changes in Punjab regarding antenatal care and skilled attendance have been achieved but much more is needed to be done.”
The moot was organized by Aga Khan University’s Division of Women and Child Health at Lahore on Monday with the support of USAID at a local hotel.
Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta of the Women and Child Health division said Pakistan faced challenges in maternal, newborn and child health. He said each year an estimated 5,000 women died due to maternal complications along with 64,000 newborns and nearly as many children. He said their lives were lost due to inadequate healthcare facilities.
“With concerted efforts and actual practice, over two-thirds of all unnecessary maternal, newborn and child deaths can be avoided,” he said adding it’s time our policy makers divert some attention and resources towards this.
Dr Samia Malik of KEMU healthcare facilities in Punjab both in government as well as private hospitals were inadequate given the province’s rapidly growing population of 72 million. “High fertility rates and low trends of contraceptive use are just some of the challenges and the situation would not worsen if proper attention was nor paid.
Dr Nabeela Ali, Chief of Party, USAID Technical Assistance Unit for Health, said there was an urgent need to address the governance and budgetary issues that hindered progress. Increased allocation to health and its proper utilisation will help, she added.
Representatives from political parties, civil society organisations and religious parties attended the seminar.
Posted in: Lahore
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