Mother and child project launched in Mansehra
By: Nisar Ahmad Khan
MANSEHRA: The national and international nongovernmental organisations in collaboration with the relevant government departments on Monday launched the ‘Mother and Motherhood through Advocacy and Awareness (Mamtaa)’ project to improve health of the vulnerable communities in Mansehra district.
The launching ceremony took place during a meeting of the representatives of the district administration, health department and Saibaan Development Organisation and Oxfam-Germany at a local hotel.
The participants later decided to form the Mamtaa project board.
The project consists of training and awareness sessions, and infrastructural development to improve the community’s access to health services.
Local deputy commissioner Zulfiqar Shah, who chaired the meeting, said the project could help cut mother and infant mortality rate in the district besides creating public awareness of various diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
He said the district administration and government departments would fully support the project’s executors to address the issue of health and hygiene faced by the local residents.
“It is highly encouraging that the project besides creating public awareness and imparting training regarding health and hygiene will also launch water supply schemes as unhygienic water is a big carrier of epidemics and other diseases,” he said.Sahibzada Jawad Alfaizi, managing director at Saibaan Development Organisation, which is to execute the project, told participants that to cut infant and mother mortality rate, women at the community level would be educated about hazards of unskilled birth attendance and how pregnant women could reach the nearest health providers in case of emergency.
He said sessions regarding family planning and proper diet or nutrition would be organised across the district through women village organisations. “It has been happening for the first time in the district that public awareness of HIV/AIDS will be created through religious scholars and village committees,” he said.
Mr Alfaizi said besides awareness and training to health officials and local community, water supply schemes, roads and latrines would also be constructed under the project.
He said schoolchildren would also be educated about health and hygiene.
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