Eight children are born every minute, 49 million people are living below the poverty line, while at least 500 mothers out of 10,000, die during pregnancy. The Punjab Minister for Population Welfare Ms Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry said this while addressing a news conference here on Tuesday.
Neelam said that the country's population is increasing speedily with unlimited problems and limited resources. She said that the country's population was 32.5 million at the time of creation of Pakistan but now it is the 6th largest country population with over 160 million population. She also said that the population of the Punjab province would be doubled after 29 years while the population of Lahore would also be doubled after 20 years.
She further said that 77 children out of 1000 die during birth. Neelam further said that only 20 percent of the country's population enjoy the facility of birth attendant while 58 million people have no access to clean drinking water. She emphasised the need for creating more awareness among the people at grass root level for population planning so that the country's resources could be increased.
Highlighting the importance of the "World Population Day" being celebrated on July 11 with the theme of "It's a right, let's make it real", she said, 40 years ago, world leaders proclaimed that individuals have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children. Further, 40 years later, contraception and family planning information remains out of reach for hundreds of millions of women, men and young people, she added.
Highlighting the efforts being made by the Punjab government to check population growth, Neelam said that focus of the provincial government is upon primary and protective healthcare so that to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs).
New born mortality rate is 54/1000 and it would be reduced up to 40 and 25 by years 2011 and 2015 respectively, whereas, infant mortality rate is 78/1000 which would be reduced 55 and 40 up till 2011 and 2015, respectively. She further said that maternal mortality ratio 350-500/100,000, which would be reduced 200 and 140 up till 2011 and 2015 respectively.
She said that 20 percent birth deliveries are attended by skilled birth attendant and this ratio would be increased more than 90 percent by 2015 whereas, contraceptive prevalence rate is 36 percent that would be increased up to 55 percent by 2015(MDGs target).
Neelam said that co-operation of teachers, community leaders, local representatives and especially local Ulema would be sought for the success of the population welfare campaign.
She said that welfare centres would be established at the villages comprising 3000 population villages and skilled birth attendants, LHVs and LHWs would be appointed at these centres because the MMR in LHWs covered area is 147/100,000 live births, compared 300 to 350/100,000 to uncovered areas, therefore, the LHWs, LHVs and the community midwives were being appointed at all the health centers in remote areas. Neelam further said that the Population Welfare Department is providing services regarding family welfare purposes through 1497 family welfare centres, 117 mobile service units, 2604 mail mobilises, 54 birth centers and a large number of LHWs. Secretary Population Welfare, DG and other officials were also present.