KARACHI, Nov 6: The World Health Organization is planning to enhance the collaboration with the Sindh health department in near future.

A strong indication to this effect came when the visiting Joint Ministry of Health/ WHO country cooperation strategy mission met Sindh health department officials a few days back.

The meeting was part of series of consultations at the national and provincial levels to devise ways and means to provide more technical support to the government in key areas of health policy and strategic planning, health systems and community development, health promotion and protection, prevention and control of communicable diseases.

While the holistic approach for socio-economic development embodied in the "Health for All" approach is being recognized, yet there is need to undertake forceful efforts to implement feasible and cost-effective essential health interventions to cut down maternal, infant and child mortality levels and improve the quality of life.

The mission comprised of Dr Namita Pradhan of WHO Headquarters; Dr Khalif Bile Mohammad, the WHO representative to Pakistan; Dr Abdullah Assa'edi, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region Assistant Director; Kumar Knosh, a former representative of the WHO to Pakistan; Dr Akihito Seita, WHO/ EMRO Regional Adviser; Dr Sameen Siddiqui, WHO/ EMRO Regional Adviser; Dr Najibullah Mojaddedi of the WHO Country Office and Dr Ashfaq Ahmed, DG Health.

They held extensive consultations with the Sindh government and its other development partners to devise a sound medium-term strategy ranging from four to six years for the country.

According to WHO (Operations) Sindh Officer Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi, the WHO collaboration role is aimed at generating information on coverage, equity and cost effectiveness of current priority services and facilitate the attainment of "Health for All" and millennium development goals.

The WHO has identified a health system development approach and a number of cost-effective essential interventions that are able to save millions of lives and concurrently promote economic growth. Through its sustained country-based technical support, the WHO has the opportunity to build partnerships with the government, development partners and the civil society as well as private sector and promote unity of purpose on key health systems, health policy and strategic directions capable to generate harmony and synergy in the implementation of health sector interventions.

The WHO Country Cooperation Strategy Mission recognized the constraints that inhibit the scaling up of these interventions, and resolved to work with the government in devising public health strategies that guide the pragmatic implementation of essential universally recognised interventions in order to ensure realisation of Millennium Development Goals.

The constraints include low public expenditure and a resultantly vulnerable health system affecting the efficiency, effectiveness and coverage of health services among populations in need. Further barriers include inadequate contributions from other sectors such as education, water supply and sanitation besides inappropriate health seeking behaviours.

At present, the WHO is collaborating with the government in a host of areas within the health sector including health systems development, reproductive health care, child and adolescent health, health management information system, disease surveillance and control, prevention of non-communicable diseases, chemical safety, environmental health, nutrition and food safety, sustainable development approaches and emergency preparedness.

Human resource development, mental health, substance abuse, EPI including polio eradication, malaria and Leishmaniasis Control, tuberculosis, control of HIV/AIDS and STDs, blood safety, strengthening and monitoring national drug policy, promotion of healthy lifestyle, traditional medicine, vaccine production and the prevention and control of rabies are also among the projects being supported by the WHO.-APP