April 6, 2005

Islamabad: Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) has demanded the government to give top priority to mother and child health. Pakistan is one of the countries where the maternal and child death rate are alarmingly high. Lack of basic health facilities and awareness are major reasons for dismal mother and child health.

While commemorating World Health Day (WHD), observed on April 7 every year, Mian Abrar Hafeez, Secretary General CRCP, highlighted the theme of the Day which is “Make Every Mother and Child Count” and stated that it was high time for the government to take mother and child health on high priority.

He stated that more than half a million women die each year (1400 per day) due to pregnancy related complications. 95 percent of these come from developing world. 11 million children die every year (30,000 per day) of which 40 percent die in the first month of life. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries. About 99 percent of maternal deaths and under five child deaths occurs in low and middle income countries particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

While commenting on the state of mother and child health in Pakistan, Mian Abrar Hafeez said that the situation was more alarming where an estimated 30,000 women die each year due to pregnancy related causes. It is estimated that about 500 maternal deaths occur per 100,000 live births each year in Pakistan. Recent estimates of WHO & UNICEF place the figures around 340/100,000 live births but in reality it may be higher because of under registration of deaths and absence of information about causes of death. The adult family literacy rate is only 28 percent and women in reproductive age constitute 23 percent of total population. One of the basic reasons of high maternal mortality is poor access to prenatal care, dearth of trained attendants at birth and low birth weight infants which are 28 percent and 20 percent and 19 percent respectively.

Mian Abrar Hafeez emphasized the need of a movement to compel government, international community and all individuals to take action to improve the health and well being of mother and children and specially to help save the lives of million of mothers and children who are dying each year during child birth and early childhood. He also stressed the need for transforming knowledge and awareness related to issue so that the lives of million could be saved and urged the government to locate more funds for education and health of mothers and child and take action to save this most vulnerable group to the onslaught of irresponsible market and corporate practices.