ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) will be holding a Satellite Family Planning Summit on July 11, the day world leaders will be meeting in London to discuss the same issue.

Arrangements will also be made to live stream the conference in London at the one in Islamabad in which political figures, diplomats and other stakeholders will be taking part.

Health and finance ministers of 69 countries were invited to participate in the conference in London which is being hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. However, because health is a devolved subject here, the federal finance minister and chief ministers of all provinces of Pakistan were invited to the conference.

The Punjab government sent provincial Finance Minister Dr Aisha Ghaus, Balochistan sent Speaker Provincial Assembly Rahila Durrani, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sent Secretary Population Fazal Nabi. The representative of the Sindh government, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, did not get a British visa and will not be attending the conference.

The event coincides with an international family planning conference being held in London which will be live streamed in Islamabad

Talking to Dawn, an official of the NHS minister said Pakistan made a number of commitments in 2012 to address the issue of the increasing population.

“These included increasing funds for family planning services from $151 million to nearly $200 million with yearly increases to ensure universal access by 2020. Steps were also to be taken to increase the percentage of married women using modern contraceptive methods to 55pc by 2020,” he said.

“Other promises include improving access to family planning services by training local health workers who provide care in 70pc of Pakistan’s rural regions, strengthening supply chains and standardising family planning policies across the country’s diverse provinces,” he said.

However, since 2012 only 2.8 million women, which is 20pc of the women in Pakistan, are using modern contraception, he said.

More than 20 million girls are entering into or are currently in their reproductive years, which according to the NHS official is 10-19 years. He said only 7pc of married adolescent girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan.

However, he said, improvements have been observed since 2012 due to the government’s efforts, which have helped avert over 11.6 million unintended pregnancies and more than 3.5 million unsafe abortions.

“All provinces have incorporated family planning into their health strategies and three of the four provinces have included contraceptive services in their essential service packages, making it easier for women across the country to access family planning services they want and need,” he said.

The official said that though the de-centralisation of health services has presented barriers to fulfilling the country’s commitment of setting aside $200 million for family planning, regional governments are leading the country’s family planning efforts. He said spending on family planning has steadily increased across all provinces. The Sindh government implemented a plan which allocates $3 every year for every married woman of child bearing age, which is more than seven times the national spending per capita for family planning.

“Supply chain logistics and surveillance systems have been established across all provinces and are available at every level of care to ensure modern contraceptives are available where and when women need them. The Punjab government has also established a central warehouse and has hired a transportation company to distribute contraceptives across its districts,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, Population Council Director Communications Seemin Ashfaq said a large number of foreign dignitaries and stakeholders will also be participating in the satellite event.

“NHS Minister Saira Afzal Tarar will hold a press conference to share developments made in the conference and share the government’s future plans,” she said.'

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2017