Mothers, newborns to receive quality healthcare

Clinical Governance and Institutional Strengthening Director Dr Mushtaq Ahmad has said women and their newborns deserve quality medical care along with respect and dignity especially in these challenging times such as the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

He expressed these views during a media briefing titled ‘Respectful Maternity Care (RMC)’. The event was jointly organised in Lahore by the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) and Research and Development Forum for Safe Motherhood, Islamabad.

During the conference, the director emphasised that the PHC stands by its commitment to implement all relevant interventions to ensure provision of quality maternity care to pregnant women with dignity.

“The commission has been working to ensure that women and newborns continue to receive lifesaving healthcare even in the times of crisis,” he highlighted.

Dr Mushtaq pointed out that the commission is mandated to improve the quality of service across all healthcare establishments in the province and the minimum service delivery standards (MSDS) prescribed by it integrate the provision of proper maternity care at all these facilities.

He added that PHC has already developed and enforced the service delivery standards at the tertiary care hospitals in the public and private sectors as well as at the secondary care facilities that provide maternal and childcare services.

“These standards require facilities to implement specific standards for clinical care which require following the national and international best practices, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the relevant area of healthcare.”

The PHC is committed to ensure protection of patients’ rights at these facilities through incorporating guidelines for safeguarding the respect of patients who utilize maternity care services, he underscored.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2020.