US Ambassador Anne Patterson and the National Institute for Population Studies on Friday presented the findings of the 2006-2007 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani as part of the Government of Pakistan World Population Day celebrations.
The PDHS offers an up-to-date and accurate picture of women's and children's health in Pakistan. "The PDHS report offers a solid foundation for making profound changes to the way that people in Pakistan receive health care services," said Ambassador Patterson. "Pakistan's dedicated public health professionals will be able to draw upon the Demographic and Health Survey to identify where the needs are greatest and to make sure that government programmes meet those needs."
Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, PDHS provides the first update in 14 years on the national maternal mortality ratio (MMR) for Pakistan. The survey found the current MMR is 276 maternal deaths per 100,000 births nation-wide, with a higher ratio in rural areas. Pakistan's Millennium Development MMR goal is to reach less than 140 by the year 2015. "I hope that the Demographic and Health Survey will continue to be a useful guidepost as we join our efforts on behalf of Pakistani families," said Ambassador Patterson.
The PDHS is one of the largest household surveys ever conducted in Pakistan. USAID contributed 2.8 million dollar to conduct the PDHS with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities and the United Nations International Children's Fund providing additional funding, and technical support from Macro International.
Teams polled nearly 100,000 households from September 2006 to February 2007 to collect information on family size, marital status, awareness and use of family planning methods, breast-feeding practices, childhood and maternal mortality, and awareness and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS.
The United States, through USAID, is providing more than 2 billion dollar in development assistance to Pakistan to improve education, health, governance, and economic growth, and to rebuild areas affected by the October 2005 earthquake.-PR
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