CM Sindh Decides To Give Family Planning & Reproductive Health Essential Service Status

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jul, 2020 ) :Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to give status of essential services to the Family Planning & Reproductive health by giving it legal cover.

This he said on Thursday while presiding over a 3rth meeting of Sindh Taskforce on Population here at CM House, said a spokesperson to the CM Sindh.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah, Shahla Raza, CM Advisor Aijaz Shah Shirazi, Secretary health, Focal Person PWD Dr. Talib Lashari, PPHI CEO Abdul Wahab Soomro, President SZABIST Ms Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Country Director Population Council Dr. Zeba Sathar, VC Malir University Dr Mehtab S. Karim, Representative of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Dr Yasmeen Qazi, Country Representative of UNFPA Ms. Lina Musa and others.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said that Family Planning & Reproductive Health was the most important sector and must have the status of essential services so that they could continue their services unhindered even on odd days. Therefore, he directed Minister Health & Population Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho to prepare a legal framework for the purpose.

He also directed Minister Health to write a letter to the concerned quarter to convene a Federal Taskforce on Population meeting to take initiatives as per CCI decisions.

He added that the Sindh government would activate the lady health workers programme to implement family planning & reproductive health as was initiated by Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhutto during her second tenure.

The CM directed the population department to start family planning in slum areas of the major cities so that growth rate could be controlled. "We are giving priority to education so that sustainable behavioral change could be ensured in terms of population control," he said and urged the Population Welfare department to achieve the target of reducing population growth rate from 2.4 percent to 2 percent during the next 10 year.

Briefing the chief minister, Health & Population Minister Dr Azara Fazal Pechuho said that all vertical programs, including LHWs, MNCH, and Immunization have been integrated into health system by transferring them to the regular budget and placing them under Director General and District Health Officers.

She also added that we have contracted with partners to provide telehealth services to women and girls in communities.

The minister said that family planning services have been affected by 50 per cent due to COVID-19-related lockdowns. She said that as per Guidelines, all Reproductive Health Services (RHS) and Family Welfare Centers (FWC) located in Health facilities have been directed to remain open and provide services with safety measures. Beside it, the Community workers like LHWs have been asked to stay in touch with their clients through WhatsApp groups.

Technical Advisor CIP/PWD and Focal Person FP2020 Dr Talib Lashari said that Sindh has achieved 634,928 additional users out of 986,260.