HYDERABAD: The health minister of Sindh has said that the government is planning to launch two healthcare programmes — one on prevention is better than cure and the other one about infant and mother mortality (maternal mortality) — in every district from January.

Speaking to participants in the two-day first International Conference of Obstetrics and Gynaecology titled ‘Women’s Health in Pakistan get momentum’ at the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro, Sindh Health Minister Dr Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar said on Friday that it was a fruitful conference and the Sindh government would try to fulfil its recommendations.

The sindh government made a trauma centre at the Karachi Civil Hospital and completed it with billions of rupees, he said.

This facility was not only for Karachi or Sindh, but for the entire country, he added.

Answering a question about deaths of pregnant women during delivery because of quacks, he said that lady doctors were deputed to every taluka hospital.

He said recommendations of the conference would be incorporated in the policy-making process to provide all possible health benefits to the people of Sindh.

He said that the great achievement of the health ministry after the 18th constitutional amendment was a health strategy 2012-2020.

“The document provides healthcare planning for eight years, and strategic directions for resource mobilisation from stakeholders, including the public sector, international donors, corporate sector and philanthropic organisations.

Welcoming guests and delegates, chairperson of the organising committee of the conference Prof Roshan Ara Qazi said the government as a signatory to the Millennium Development Goals strived its level best for achieving the goals and targets but unfortunately the country was lagging behind in achieving many targets because of several reasons.

“Maternal mortality has reduced from 340/100,000 live births in 2001 to 260/100,000 live births in 2013, but still we are away from the target of 140/100,000 live births,” she said.

LUMHS vice chancellor Prof Noshad A Shaikh said that women’s health was a serious issue world over in general and in third world countries like Pakistan in particular.

“The government of Pakistan gives immense importance to the child and mother health. This is evident from the fact that this issue holds a pivotal position in the Millennium Developing Goals.

“Unfortunately, we have failed to achieve the goal of ensuring a healthy female population, with adversely affecting the entire family unit,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2015