Rs51b family planning scheme launched in Sindh

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, while launching an Rs 51.2 billion five-year Costed Implementation Plan (CIP), has said that the three elements – health, education and poverty – which the human development hinges upon will deteriorate if population growth goes unchecked.

Addressing a CIP launching ceremony at the Chief Minister’s House on Thursday, Qaim said that human development and overall prosperity was compromised with high growth rate and family planning and reproductive health were on top of the agenda of his government. “Launching of CIP would be of a great help,” Qaim told the ceremony which was attended by MNA Azra Pechuho, Shehnaz Wazir Ali, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, Principal Secretary to CM Alamuddin Bullo, Secretary Health Saeed Mangnijo, Population Welfare Secretary Saleem Raza Khuhro, CIP Team leader Dr Talib Lashari and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation members.

Population Welfare Secretary Saleem Raza Khuhro briefed the ceremony that Pakistan ranked 146th within 187 countries `under the low human development category’. “The population growth rate in Sindh was two percent per year,” he said, adding presently, the population of Sindh was 45.9 million and if the growth ratio remained stagnant at two percent, the population of the province would touch 60 million in 2020.

Giving some important indicators of Sindh, Khuhro said that presently total fertility rate (TFR) was 3.9 per cent while in 1990-91 it was 5.1 and in 2001 it was estimated around 4.8 per cent. Similarly, he added, contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) was 24.3 per cent while in 1990 it was 9.1 and in 2001, 20.2 per cent which showed a commendable improvement.

CIP team leader Dr Talib Lashari, while quoting Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS), said that in 1990 the ratio of `Women Want no More Births (WWNB) was 35.8 per cent and the same grew to 51.2 in 2012-13. Similarly, `Unmet Need for Contraceptive’ ratio in 1990 was 23.9 per cent and now it had come down to 20.8 per cent, he added.

Talking about the objective and target of the CIP up to 2020, Lashari said the CPR would be enhanced from 30 per cent to 45 per cent, unmet need for family planning from 21 per cent to 14 per cent and to ensure contraceptive commodity security up to 80 per cent for all public sector outlets by 2018.

The chief minister, while appreciating the effort and spirit of donor agency, urged the Population Welfare Department to achieve the target as stated in the presentation.

News source: Pakistan Today