HYDERABAD, Jan 20: In order to plan development programmes according to population growth rate, the high birth rate has been brought down to 1.9 per cent during 2004-05 and it will be further reduced to minimize a gap between population and development infrastructure facilities.

This was stated by secretary of the population welfare department, Mr Mushtaq Memon, while speaking at a seminar on “Reproductive health” here on Thursday.

The seminar was organized by the population welfare department at a local hotel.

He said the Sindh government had planned a comprehensive strategy in which one “Falahi Markaz” would be set up at each union council of the province with provision of one reproductive health centre at each taluka, and induction of 70 more mobile service units in existing network by the end of current year.

He said at present, 66 taluka officers, 456 Falahi Markaz, 38 reproductive health centres and 36 mobile service units and other field workers were providing contraceptive facilities in Sindh.

He said awareness about contraceptive programme was very much essential not only to control high birth rate but also for physical and mental fitness of the people.

He said that information unit of the department was doing its best to extend awareness among people but cooperation of media was very much essential to achieve the objectives.

He said that community participation and support of religious and opinion leaders would make the programme more successful.

He also called upon physicians, lady doctors and persons of health community to play their due role in advising people to follow family planning programme in their own and national interest.

He said that such seminars would also play important role in public awareness and the practice would be continued for awareness of the people.

Professor Dr Amna Memon, honorary guest Dr Shamim Ansari, Begum Haziq Ali and others also spoke on the occasion.

They spoke about demerits of high birth rate and importance of family planning for the common people.

Besides, an informative documentary film related with subject of reproductive health was also screened on the occasion.