PAIMAN donates 19 ambulances

Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN), a USAID funded project, working in support of improved maternal and new-born health, on Tuesday donated 19 purpose-build ambulances worth Rs 45 million for maternal health care.
These ambulances fully equipped with medical supplies and communication system would provide with much needed transport facility to the expected mothers, right from their household to hospitals.
Out of total, eight ambulances will be provided to Punjab, four to NWFP, four to Balochistan and three ambulances will be provided to Sindh government to be available at district headquarter hospitals, tehsil headquarter hospitals and rural health centres.
These ambulances were handed over to the ministry of health in a ceremony witnessed by Secretary Health Khushnood Akhtar Lashari and Director Health USAID Ms Mary Sakrie. Speaking on the occasion she said that the US government would continue to support Pakistan in its efforts for strengthening healthcare delivery system and meeting the MDGs.
She said these ambulances have been provided to improve the health facilities for mother and child, particularly, in rural areas. She assured her government's support for the nation-wide polio vaccination programme. "We would also provide assistance to the maternal and new-born health care programme in Balochistan" she added. Chief PAIMAN Dr Nabila Ali informed that almost 1,500 traditional birth attendants have been oriented to clean delivery practices, and more than 18,500 clean delivery kits have been distributed in the ten districts of Pakistan where PAIMAN works.
She said that existing health facilities in the target districts have been upgraded at a cost of $8.3 million. Thanking the United States government for supporting and strengthening health care delivery system in Pakistan, Lashari stressed the need to utilise the ambulances for maternal health care.
He said about 10 percent mothers die on their way to a health facility due to lack of proper transport facility. He said that neonatal and mother's health is one of the top priorities of Pakistan's national health policy. Through National MNCH programme being initiated at a cost of Rs 19.9 billion, Pakistan would be able to reduce maternal and infant mortality and would ultimately achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), he added. He said these ambulances would be utilised to provide immediate health services to the people of rural areas of all four provinces.