The Ministry of Health is celebrating mother and child week and a Health Mela has been organized in rural health centre Mandra, Rawalpindi as a part of this celebration. A great number of people took part in this event including representatives of the ministry of health, individuals working in health related NGO’s and members of the media. Mother and child week is being held from 5th to 10th April 2010 with the assistance of National Programme for family planning and basic health and other such programmes. The inauguration of this event was greatly supported by Ministry of Health, Ministry of Population Welfare, EPI, MNCH, UNICEF, WHO, Rural Support Programme Network, PAIMAN and PRIDE.
The participants in the event expressed their views on mother and child health. Dr Tanveer Ahmad, Coordinator Punjab, National Programme for family planning and basic health explaining the backdrop of Mother and child week said that this event aims to highlight the problem faced by mother and child healthcare. Dr Nabeela Ali of PAIMAN said that Lady Health Workers and Lady Heath Supervisors were the pillars of this programme and that they were performing admirably to ensure mother and child health. She admired the efforts of EDO Health Rawalpindi for maternal and neonatal health and the inauguration of mother and child week. The Deputy Country Representative of UNICEF Ms. Pirkko gave her proposals to reduce life-threatening illnesses in children. Dr Iqbal Ahmad Lahri, the national coordinator of National Programme for family planning and basic health supported the role of Lady Health Workers and urged members of the media to spread information about mother and child health. EDO Health Rawalpindi, Dr Zafar Gondal thanked the participants of the ceremony and said that this event had played an important role towards the spread of national awareness of mother and child healthcare.
Mother and child week will reach out to almost 10 Crore people out of which 1.5 Crore children and 34 Lac pregnant women will be provided health facilities. 100,000 Lady Health Workers and 3500 Lady Health Supervisors are being specially trained for this purpose. Additionally 5692 Health Centre Employees and Vaccinators from across the nation are taking part in this event. During this week children of up to two years will be inoculated and children of two to five years will be provided de-worming medication whereas pregnant women will be given Tetanus vaccination.
Different events will be organized to spread awareness about topics such as the importance of medical examination and the identification of dangerous symptoms during pregnancy and safe methods, complications and their treatment during delivery. This week is being celebrated in all 134 provinces of Pakistan where the services of the Lady Health Workers are available.