Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid said here on Monday that the development of a country is linked directly with the population increase ratio.
Speaking at the “Testing the & Innovative Model for Improving Access to Family Planning Services for the Marginalized” under the aegis of the Population Councils at a local hotel, the Health Minister said that more than 5,000 mothers lose their lives during child birth every year in Punjab.
She said lack of birth spacing was having adverse effects on the health of mothers and people must be made aware of this important point.
Present in the event were Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bukht, Minister for Population Welfare Lt Col (Retd) Hashim Dogar, Country Head Population Welfare Council Dr. Zeba Sattar, Dr. Naeem Majeed, from UNFPA Dr. Shoaib Dr. Bakhtiar, officials of the Benazir Income Support Program and representatives of partners and stakeholders.
In her speech, the Health Minister said, “Development of a country is directly linked with its population increase. We will have to make successful the balanced family slogan. No one take care of children better than a mother.
A child development is closely associated with the care of its mother. Pakistan loses 73 children per 10000 live births which is a high number. The growth of a child is affected before birth if a mother is not well. Lack of birth spacing is having adverse effects on health of mothers.
We will have to open 35,000 new schools and 7 million new homes by 2040 if the population continues to increase. We also need to educate mothers on breast feeding. Every mother must breastfeed her child for two years. A child having breast feed in infancy is able to survive better in his life.
