'Research-based planning crucial for mother, child health'

Health experts are unanimous that research-based planning and constant review of strategies' implementation is the cornerstone of success of any project, targeted at improving the health and wellbeing of mothers and their children.
Dr Rashid Jooma, Director General Health, Government of Pakistan praised the efforts made by a team of Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and New-borns (PAIMAN) researchers for guiding the ministry towards designing an effective program to improve the health of mother and child. He assured that the government would take PAIMAN research studies seriously and translate them into public health policies and plans.
He expressed these views while speaking at a function "Dissemination of PAIMAN Operations Research", arranged in collaboration with USAID, here on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nabeela Ali, Chief of Party, PAIMAN highlighted the achievements made by the organisation through various operations research studies, carried out for understanding the efficacy of new ideas and approaches for reducing maternal and new-borns morbidity and mortality in Pakistan. It is a six-year USAID supported project aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of mothers and children.
She apprised the audience that PAIMAN, with the help of USAID, has started community interventions, such as integrated community obstetrics and has trained 2,000 community midwives and upgraded 89 health facilities for backup support to these community midwives. She assured that PAIMAN-integrated community obstetrics model will help in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Pakistan.
Dr Zeba Sathar, Country Director, Population Council, a partner organisation in PAIMAN project spoke on the importance of operational research and the invaluable lessons learnt from the project. Commenting on future strategies, she said low cost interventions can be very effective and trained midwives were present in the areas where there is no other Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA). She added that community midwives are a long-term investment and their full placement and utilisation will take time.
Addressing the function, Janet Paz Castillo, Chief of Health, USAID Pakistan termed PAIMAN a torch-bearing project that has shown the way to others regarding correct design and implementation of health initiatives. She especially appreciated the project's contributions as a body of knowledge regarding maternal and child health and hoped that the lessons documented will go a long way in improving the health of mothers and children.
On the occasion, Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta gave presentation on 'women and child health' in the context of new-borns, their survival in Pakistan, challenges and the opportunities' for improvement. Pakistan has one of the highest rates of child mortality in South Asia (close to 460,000 deaths annually, of which over half die within the first month of life, most within the first few days).
The expert highlighted importance of various interventions in PAIMAN districts, notably those targeting household practices through community education and strengthening district health facilities.
Specific research projects undertaken with lady health workers and traditional birth attendants demonstrated improved outcomes for new-borns and reduction in diarrhoea and pneumonia deaths. Using independent modelling through change in coverage of key interventions and a case control study, there is evidence of significant reduction in prenatal mortality as well.