Demographic, health survey launched

The Pakistan Demographic and Health survey 2006-07 was launched at a ceremony here on Wednesday. The ceremony was attended among others by the Consul General of the United States in Karachi Kay Anske, and the member of Sindh Assembly, Humaira Alwani.
The exercise was carried out by the Ministry of Population Welfare, Government of Pakistan and the National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) with the financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and logistics assistance from UNFPA and Unicef. The Survey was designed to provide date for monitoring population and health situation in Pakistan.
It was the second survey of its kind conducted in Pakistan and the objective was to provide up to date information on fertility, family planning, childhood mortality, infact and child feeding practices, maternal and child health, maternal mortality and HIV/AIDS related knowledge and behaviour.
Speaking on the occasion, Kay Anske said that as a result of this survey the health professionals in Pakistan will have access to the critical data and this would contribute towards improving the health standards in this country. She was of the view that this was also the primary goal of the Government of Pakistan as well as the Government of the United States.
Kay Anske pointed out that this very survey is of great value and added that Pakistan is a signatory to the United Nations Millennium Goals (UNMGs) initiative. She said that the survey would help the medical and health professionals reduce the mother and child mortality and morbidity rates. This, the Consul General added, would also help improve the quality of the family health care programme by providing the required feedback.
She said that this would also contribute towards spurring the research in the related fields. The Member of Sindh Assembly, Humaira Alwani, in her speech called for undertaking concerted efforts to help achieve the MDGs. She also urged the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as all other concerned the play their due role in this very respect. Humaira stressed that there is a need to promote education and this will help foster awareness.