Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq has said family planning facilities will also be provided in tertiary-care hospitals so that millions of visitors can be sensitised about benefit of small family unit. While addressing a seminar organised by the Policy and Strategy Planning Unit of the Health Department here on Wednesday to prepare contraceptive procurement and supply chain mechanism for tertiary-care hospital, he said, "Resources in Pakistan are limited as compared to the population growth. Needs of ever increasing population cannot be met with the existing resources, therefore the matter needs to be given a serious thought."
Dr Alam said according to a survey of 2003-04, 0.9 million abortions are taking place in Pakistan which almost doubled in 2014. Dr Ijaz Sheikh said as compared to primary and secondary level, preventive programmes had not been given due importance at tertiary level. "Time has come for the Health department to strengthen the family planning programme with the collaboration of the Punjab Population Welfare Department," he added.
Dr Sheikh also said, "There is a need to provide counselling services to millions of male and female patients coming to the tertiary hospitals and there should be a mechanism of uninterrupted supply of contraceptives in these hospitals. Interval in birth will also helpful in reducing maternal mortality and infant mortality rate."