KARACHI: The Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has approved a four-year plan for health improvements, starting from year 2025 to year 2029,
This initiative will primarily focus on improving access for communities, enhancing routine immunization, and on strengthening governance within the health sector of the province, especially regarding women’s and children’s health.
To achieve its goals, the government has outlined several key initiatives. Firstly, the plan aims to expand community outreach and routine immunization, with a target of reaching 95% routine immunization coverage by 2026, up from the current 69%.
This will involve recruiting 5,500 Lady Health Workers and Community Health Workers, and providing 5,250 medical kits and IT equipment.
Other components envision the strengthening of nutrition services, with many Nutrition Stabilization Centers and Outpatient Therapeutic Program sites set to treat the malnourished by 2026: some 11 new Nutrition Stabilization Centers and 714 Outpatient Therapeutic Program sites will be in place treating 1.24 million malnourished children under five years by 2026.
Well-planned plans will be in place for control of non-communicable diseases like screening units for diabetes and hypertension to work in secondary healthcare facilities and to maximize early detection services at primary healthcare units.
The plan would also provide for governance and surveillance improvements with an expanded robust monitoring and evaluation system; real-time data tracking will be carried out on live dashboards in 40 districts.
Integration of Health Management Information System into DHIS-2. Major repair/maintenance will also be part of the health plan covering tertiary, secondary, and primary-level hospitals: Construction of two new medical and surgical towers at Civil Hospital Karachi, and evening shifts will also commence in 20 nursing colleges to build the nurse population.
All in all, the comprehensive health improvement plan seeks to set a more efficient and sustainable healthcare system in Sindh, with a prime focus on improving health outcomes for women and children.
