Federal and Provincial Health Ministers endorse 10 years MNHC action plan

Islamabad, May 13, 2015: In a high profile inter provincial meeting organized in Islamabad, Mrs. Saira Afzal Tarar minister for national health services presented the National vision for coordinated priority actions to address challenges of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition in Pakistan. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, development partners and renowned public health experts. While speaking at the occasion, Minister reiterated the commitment of the Government that mother and child safety through proper immunization and better nutrition are a major priority.

In line with the global “A Promise Renewed” movement the Minister of National Health Services stressed again that the drive towards the MDG goals 4, 5 shall be sustained until no mother, newborn or under-5 child dies from preventable causes.  A comprehensive action plan for the next 10 years to achieve this goal was presented for discussion and endorsement during the meeting.

“With this plan we will further our evidence based equity approach. We will build on best practices and invest in finding new innovative ways to fight mother and new born mortality and we will focus on the most vulnerable.” said Minister Saira Afzal Tarar.

“Every minute a child dies in Pakistan, every hour three women die - the majority from preventable diseases. This is unacceptable and I congratulate the Government of Pakistan for its renewed commitment to respond to this problem,” said Angela Kearney, the Country Representative of UNICEF. “I am confident that this plan will have a direct positive impact on the survival of children and women” she continued. 

The document helps to set national priorities, declares clear budgeted targets and aims at mobilizing civil society. It is on the one hand focussing on social determinants and addressing inequities in health. On the other hand it shows a multi-sectorial approach with strong links to nutrition and reproductive health and family planning.

When it gets to reducing under five child mortality it is crucial to prioritise interventions that concentrate on the first 28 days of a child’s life. Neonatal period accounts for almost two third of all under-five deaths. The plan also addresses the overall low immunization coverage in Pakistan, taking into account that one out of four under-five deaths are caused by vaccine preventable diseases.