Mission Director for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Reed Aeschliman and Sindh Minister for Health and Population Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho launched a new family planning, maternal, newborn, and child health program.
The U.S. Government-funded $40 million Building Health Families Activity (BHFA) will operate in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to enhance primary healthcare systems. The activity will support voluntary family planning (FP) and improve maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services in Pakistan, said a news release issued here on Friday.
“The United States has a long history of partnership with the Government of Sindh,” Mission Director Aeshliman said. “USAID is committed to strengthening this relationship by building upon the foundation and legacy of our partnership and a shared goal to save and improve lives.”
Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho lauded the continued support from the US government through USAID and emphasized the Sindh government’s commitment towards improving health care for the people.Focus on healthcare equity is fundamental to BHFA’s approach, and the activity is committed to addressing the needs of women, girls, and youth as well as people traditionally marginalized from accessing quality healthcare. Making health systems resilient to shocks from climate change is another core focus.
The activity will meaningfully engage men and boys, strengthen human resources for health, deploy new digital health solutions, and ensure commodity and supply chain security for FP/MNCH services, eventually contributing to more resilient health systems, it added.