Staff Reporter
Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs) are the frontline workers in a telehealth system catering to maternal health and childcare needs. Dealing patients on a one-to-one basis to provide the medical care of a very sensitive nature, these attendants are the backbone of sexual and reproductive healthcare system. Realizing the need for the necessary capacity building and skill development in Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health (SRMH) domain, the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) in collaboration with WHO, Pakistan, held the second round of virtual training on SRH tailored for SBAs. The first phase of the training had benefitted doctors from various telehealth clinics across Pakistan. The present phase of the training was held in two batches of 5-days each, wherein twenty-six SBAs, including the Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) and Community Midwives (CMWs) from telehealth clinics of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtun-khwa and Baluchis-tan provinces learned new concepts and techniques in SRH along with a recap refresher of the older ones still in use.
Professionals that imparted and coordinated training in this phase belonged to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MoNHSR&C), Government of Pakistan – COMS-ATS’ partners for the training. Besides, experts and consultants from Health Services Academy Islamabad, Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital in Karachi, and COMSATS Telehealth Islam-abad, also conducted the various sessions of the training.
