January 7, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 6, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 6: The Sindh government is fully committed to the devolution programme and would expedite the process of disbursing funds at the grass-roots level for health-care and socio-economic development of masses across the province.

This was stated by Sindh health minister Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani while speaking at an orientation workshop for nazims, jointly organized by the national programme for family planning and primary health-care, UNICEF and UNFPA here on Thursday.

He said a strong political will is required on the part of public representatives to ensure that envisaged reforms trickle down to the lowest segments of the society.

The workshop was chaired by the nazim of Jacobabad Saida Soomro and attended by her counterparts from eight other different districts of the province.

Acknowledging the contribution made by health workers in strengthening primary health-care system, the minister announced induction of 75,000 LHWs, besides Rs500 raise in their remuneration.

Mentioning that development must necessarily be linked to health status and social wellbeing of masses, the minister said it was with very specific reason that major focus was being laid on eradicating diseases.

There was also necessary provision for public health education, enhanced public accessibility to health-care facilities, improved sanitation and across the board availability of potable water to the people, in both rural and urban sectors, he said.

The minister appealed to the nazims and councillors to contribute towards proper management of existing health care infrastructure, supplementing the same in accordance with the public needs and meaningful accountability of staffers assigned responsibilities at these facilities.

Senior paediatrician Prof Zulfiqar A Bhutta in his elaborate presentation regretted that a vertical approach has been adopted for most of the programmes launched in the country to combat the high incidence of maternal mortality, infant mortality and neonatal mortality rates, respectively.

Referring to intervention initiated by his team in close coordination with federal and Sindh health departments in three selected districts of the province, namely Hala, Kot Deiji and Mattiari, he said efforts to strengthen existent health system, community mobilization and linking them with lady health workers made the marked difference.

“Linking health system with community education and development can bring about meaningful changes with specific reference to poor maternal and child maternal/morbidity rates in the country,” Dr Bhutta said, mentioning that success stories ought to be replicated.

Particularly addressing the nazims, the seasoned paediatrician appealed to them to improve health care services and facilities in their areas of jurisdiction, specifically villages, as otherwise largely ignored but unusually high incidence of still births would continue to be a norm.

“ Not only this, but physical and mental disability, along with high rate of fatal infections would continue to haunt our children and mothers,” he further warned, reiterating significance of community organization and mobilization.

The paediatrician-cum-researcher also suggested that selection of LHWs must be made on absolute basis of merit and that they besides being offered necessary encouragement must also be accountable to community they serve.

Rana Syed, Coordinator, UNICEF Sindh, offered the nazims UNICEF support for district level training in health planning - enhancing capacities of councillors to chalk out plans and make funds/budgetary allocations accordingly.

She appealed to the workshop participants to ensure provision of regular review and monitoring of public health care programmes in their areas. These meetings could help identifying pace of intervention for acquiring set goals, in specific context of maternal and child health and quality survival as well as possible lacunae.

Regular review on a monthly basis would be essential on part of elected representatives to look into achievements and difficulties, she commented.

Ms Rana Syed underscored that public representatives need to also contribute towards public sensitization and necessary modification in social attitudes towards these issues.

She also referred to other UNICEF projects presently under way in Sindh, ranging from girl education, water and sanitation, immunization to prevention of violence against women.

Dr Qazi Mujtaba Kamal, Sindh manager for national programme for family planning and primary health care, referring to the lady health workers programme – Sindh, said it is aimed at promoting health and reducing poverty by bridging gap between the health services and communities.

Provision for quality integrated health services to the doorsteps of local communities, is the main objective behind the LHW programme, he said.

With regard to community-based healthcare initiative, he said it was extremely essential as a mere 15 per cent of available resources for health sector are diverted towards primary health-care

The workshop was also addressed by Saida Soomro, Nazim from Jacobabad, Sindh health secretary, Prof Naushad Shaikh, D-G health, Dr Hadi Baksh Jatoi, Malik Shafi, deputy coordinator, national programme for family planning and primary healthcare.

District nazims, including Saida Soomro, Arbab Anwar, Faqeer Manghi, Mohammad Baksh Areejo, Ghulam Rasool Jatoi Danial Khan Talpur, Nasir Shah and Aizaz Rajput, raised pertinent queries and forwarded suggestions, with specific reference to involvement of male motivators.—APP