Since gaining independence in 1947, Pakistan has struggled with economic and political instability. This has caused a large inequality gap, which has a profound impact on access to health care and resultant health outcomes. Pakistan’s total fertility rate is now 4.1. Disparities in education and wealth are key mediating factors— the difference in fertility between the poorest and the richest quin-tiles of women is close to three children per woman. Women living in poverty often live in the most rural, hard to reach areas and do not have the resources to travel to health centers. When women do not have the opportunity to interact with a trained health worker, they miss out on information about family planning, maternal health, and reproductive health services.
One woman dies every minute during pregnancy or childbirth. More than 10 million women a year suffer severe of long-lasting illnesses or disabilities caused by complications of pregnancy or childbirth, with the health and well being of mother and child heavily intertwined—obstetric complications account for the majority of neonatal mortality. Because an estimated 37 percent of child deaths occur during the first month of life, survival of both of the mother and infant is greatly dependent on a woman’s access to maternal care, including skilled birth attendance.
Merry welfare has supported integrated and comprehensive services for maternal and newborn care. Our community interventions to improve healthy practices such as delaying early marriage and first pregnancy, expanding access to contraception and family planning, and increasing the availability of prenatal care, skilled delivery, and postpartum care, are widely respected. Pathfinder’s contributions to post abortion care—both at the service delivery and community level—are globally recognized.
All these activities handles :
Mrs. Zeba Nosheen (General Nurse-mid wife)
