A seminar was organized in a local hotel with the support of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and MNCH in connection World Prematurity Day (WPD) in Quetta.
The seminar was attended by Secretary Health Balochistan Hafiz Muhammad Tahir, Provincial Coordinator Maternal, National & Child Health (MNCH) Dr. Ismail Mirwani, MS Civil Hospital Dr. Amin Khan Mandukhel, Chief Planning Officer Abdul Rasool Zehri, Planning Officer Ababkar Baloch, Department of Gynecology Professor Uzmi Sohail, Associate Professor Dr. Maryam Shoaib, Associate Professor Dr. Ruhana Islam, Deputy Director MNCH Dr. Sarmad Saeed Khan, Deputy Director MNCH Dr. Sadia Ali, UNICEF Dr. Aamir Akram, Account Officer Kamil Ahmed and IT Incharge Sikandar Zaib. Addressing the seminar, Secretary Health Balochistan Hafiz Muhammad Tahir said that World Prematurity Day was observed every year on November 17 to raise awareness of the concerns of premature babies and their families around the world.
About 15 million babies are born prematurely each year, which is about one in 10 of all babies born worldwide, he mentioned. The secretary said that in November we take a moment to express sympathy and support for those families who were facing the problem of premature birth. “Prematurity is one of the leading causes of death for children under 5 years of age as approximately 15 million children worldwide are born prematurely and approximately 1 million die from related complications,” he added. Provincial Coordinator MNCH Dr. Ismail Mirwani told the participants of the seminar that the five-year plan to reduce preterm birth and infant mortality due to complications related to collaboration between MNCH and Balochistan Health Department saying that steps were being taken to implement because more than 100 newborns die every day in Balochistan province due to complications related to birth asphyxia, premature birth and sepsis.
“UNICEF is helping MNCH and Health Department Balochistan in this regard,” he said. MS Civil Hospital Dr. Amin Khan Mandukhel emphasized that “by ensuring high-quality care for every newborn, providing nursing care for the best start in life and empowering women.
