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PESHAWAR, June 25: Non-existence of midwifery schools has been badly affecting the mother and child health scenario in the country. “Of the total births in the country, 80 per cent take place at homes. About 25,000-30,000 women die every year due to pregnancy-related complications,” said Dr Shabina Raza, deputy director reproductive health department, NWFP.
Talking to Dawn, she said 3.2 million women in the country happened to be in child-bearing age group, of which 2.2 million belonged to rural areas, where the literacy rate was dismally low. Therefore, pregnancy and delivery-related complications are common in those areas.
“Only 3 per cent of the women follow the family planning. On average, every woman in Pakistan produced four to five children, of which 70 per cent hailed from rural areas,” she said.
CONTROL OF AIDS: Speakers at a seminar have urged doctors and health workers to keep information about patients living with HIV/Aids confidential to save them from the stigma and trauma associated with the disease.
“The fast spread of the HIV/Aids has posed a potential threat to people, who needed proper attention to cope with the situation,” said WHO’s programme officer Dr Rajwal Khan while speaking at a one-day seminar on ‘Ethical Issues Related to HIV/Aids’ here on Saturday.
Dr Bilal Ahmed, deputy manager of the provincial HIV/Aids control programme, said 45 per cent of the vulnerable population might fall victim to this disease if proper steps were not taken to control it.
The event was organized jointly by the provincial AIDS control programme and the WHO.
