14 June 2023 – Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing maternal and newborn mortality and ending preventable still births, in line with the strategic plan “Every Newborn: An Action Plan to End Preventable Deaths” and 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda following its hosting of a WHO technical mission to the country in June.
In May 2023, an international conference on maternal and newborn health was held in Cape Town, South Africa, in May . The conference was attended by stakeholders from around the world, including a delegation from Pakistan, led by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination. The forum provided a platform to focus on evidence-based solutions to improve maternal and newborn health.
Following the Conference, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination hosted a high-level technical mission from WHO headquarters and the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. The purpose of the mission was to facilitate national level discussions with stakeholders and advance the implementation of the joint ending maternal mortality and preventable newborn deaths country action plan. Bilateral meetings were held with key partners, including the United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF, the World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Pathfinder International, Jhpiego Pakistan, National Committee on Maternal and Newborn Health, Pakistan Health Knowledge Hub and a team of gynaecologists and obstetricians from Pakistan’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad.
A meeting of the national reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health technical working group was convened on 31 May –1 June 2023 in Islamabad, which brought together more than 50 experts on reproductive, maternal and newborn health from provincial and federal levels, as well as relevant development partners, civil society, academia and private sector.
This meeting demonstrated the Government of Pakistan's political will, engagement and commitment in addressing the recommendations from the global summit on preventing postpartum haemorrhage in Dubai in March 2023, the international maternal and newborn health conference in Cape Town and the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva in May 2023. During this meeting, stakeholders emphasized the importance of equitable coverage of all services and integration at the policy, programme and service delivery levels, while adopting a continuum of care approach This comprehensive approach aims to ensure the survival and well-being of women and newborns within a healthy environment.
