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Peshawar, Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced a special package aimed at providing nutritious food to pregnant women in the province’s more underserved areas. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance maternal and newborn health, and to reduce the maternal mortality rate in the region.
According to Directorate General Information and PRs – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Chief Minister made this decision during the fourth session of the Provincial Population Task Force. The program targets pregnant women by providing them with healthy food for a specific period, intending to improve development outcomes for newborns and support the health of the mothers.
In addition to nutritional support, the Chief Minister has directed relevant authorities to strengthen the midwifery sector and develop it along modern lines to further reduce maternal mortality rates. This approach includes leveraging support from various institutions to ensure the effective delivery of these new health measures.
The session also resolved to enforce the Child Marriage Act strictly to promote better developmental outcomes for newborns. Other decisions made include the mandatory implementation of blood tests before marriage and enhancing local access to these tests to prevent congenital diseases.
Furthermore, the meeting emphasized improving access to family planning services, with plans to integrate these services across all health department centers. A significant public awareness campaign about family planning is also set to be launched, including seminars in colleges and universities.
The Chief Minister noted that despite Khyber Pakhtunkhwa having the lowest population growth rate among the provinces, the rapidly increasing population remains a challenge that requires coordinated efforts. He stressed the need for a balance between population growth and resources, highlighting the necessity for joint actions by the government, partner institutions, and the private sector.
The initiative also includes plans to establish new welfare population centers in areas lacking health facilities and to pilot projects to bolster the midwifery sector with partner support, aiming to address the critical issues of maternal and newborn mortality and developmental challenges effectively.