Project Director of Balochistan Health Support Programme and Chairperson of MHM Working group Dr. Tahira Kamal Baloch and Executive Director of FDI Pakistan, Uzma Yaqoob on Thursday agreed to take multi-faceted measures for the public health of flood victims, including women and children.
In an informal consultative meeting of the two organizations, the MHM Working Group and FDI Pakistan expressed deep concern over the inadequate health facilities for women and children in the flood-affected areas.
The project director of the Balochistan Health Support Program emphasized the need to make it more effective. She noted that the provincial government has provided all medical support including medical equipment and technical support to the people of flood-hit areas.
“As many as 25 community health workers have been trained in seven districts besides providing them with modern delivery kits and mobiles,” she said adding that using a special mobile app “Hope” data is maintained that helps reaching out the affected masses. She maintained that under the project, 25 delivery/birth stations would be established in these districts where safe maternity facilities would be provided to the mother and child. By taking these steps maternal mortality rate would be significantly reduced.
Besides, as part of government steps for womenfolk, multivitamins would be provided to 180,000 women for six months. As many 120000 children in schools were provided with shoes, bicycles while wheelchairs have also been provided to special children.
Forum for Dignity Initiatives Pakistan Executive Director Uzma Yaqoob while appreciating the performance of Balochistan Health Support Programme and MHM Working Group assured all possible support from FDI Pakistan for multi-faceted initiatives.
So far, FDI has provided Hygiene kits and sanitary pads to 5000 women, food to three hundred malnourished women, milk and feeder bottles to two and a half hundred mothers, new clothes to seven hundred victims and food to two and a half thousand older children.
“More assistance will be provided to the flood-stricken people in the second phase,” she maintained.
Dr. Tahira Kamal Baloch, while appreciating the services of FDI, assured the supply of sanitary pads for two hundred women on behalf of MHM Working Group. Consultant Giz Shahana Rind and Faiz Barich of Balochistan Health Support Program were also present.
