Trailblazers: Honouring Sindh’s brightest stars

Movement aims to recognise those who have worked to improve health conditions in the province

KARACHI: It is our commitment to reduce maternal, infant and child mortality in Sindh, said Sindh's director-general of health Dr Hasan Murad Shah.

He was speaking at the launch of Roshan Taaro [Bright Star] — a movement aimed at recognising work done in the field of health —at the Defence Authority Golf and Country Club on Tuesday evening.

Shah added that to achieve this milestone they have to work with their partners and donor agencies to pave the way towards a healthy population that can contribute positively to the socio-economic uplift of the province. He appreciated the role of lady health workers in improving the overall health conditions in Sindh.

Sindh's department of health and population welfare came together with their partners to a launch a movement to uplift the health and wellbeing of mothers and children in the province. Bright Star aims to recognise and honour all those individuals, groups and organisations that are contributing towards the cause of mother and child health in Sindh, added Dr Shuaib Khan, of the John Hopkins Centre for Communication Programmes Pakistan.

According to Khan, it is only possible to improve the status of health in Sindh if we join hands together with partners, donor organisations, civil society, health workers and most importantly the people of Sindh. We will work together to ensure that not a single mother dies from preventable disease, not a single child is left unvaccinated and access to health services is within everyone's reach, he said.

"Education is the right of every child; if a girl gets educated today then the entire future generation will be educated," said community leader Bhura Lal, who teaches students in a makeshift school in Umerkot district. Lal has been recognised as a bright star by the organisers for his work in improving the health of the people of Sindh.  Lal added that we have to end ignorance so that our country can progress.

Towards the end of the event Bright Star movement brand ambassadors Sanam Marvi and Shallum sang a song they wrote for the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2016.