DADU, May 7: Speakers at a seminar said here the other day that the number of deaths among pregnant women and newly born babies was increasing in Kachho, Katcho and Thar areas due to a lack of medical facilities and awareness.

They appealed to donor agencies, NGOs and federal and Sindh governments to set up maternity homes and hospitals with operation theatres, labour rooms, surgical instruments, trained doctors and other staff of World Health Organisation standards.

The seminar on “Pakistan Initiative Mother’s and Newly-born” was held at the rural health centre, Sita Road, which was organised by the district health department in collaboration with an NGO, Pakistan Voluntary Health and Nutrition Association.

Doctors, lady health workers, NGOs and nazims participated in the seminar.

Speaking at the seminar, Peter Hatcher (Canadian), deputy chief of team “Pakistan Initiative Mother’s and New-borns” (PAIMAN) said, the project was launched in 10 most affected districts of the country with the support of the government of Pakistan to bring down the mortality rate among women and newly-born babies.

He said Dadu and Sukkur were selected in Sindh where operation theatres, labour rooms, surgical instruments and other equipment were provided to the hospitals with WHO standard.

He said that trained male, female doctors and other staff was provided according to their requirement as the death cases among pregnant women and newly-born babies should be controlled.