Health indicators improving in Sindh
The Sindh health department is recruiting 4,000 doctors to be posted in rural Sindh for three years to benefit residents of remote areas of the province. PHOTO: FILE
Health indicators have improved since the last Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) in 2014 such as the number of skilled birth attendants has increased from 65 per cent to almost 83 per cent.
Findings of the MICS conducted in Sindh in 2018-19 were unveiled in a small ceremony jointly chaired by Planning and Development Board Chairperson Muhammed Waseem and UNICEF Country Representative Aida Girma-Melaku at the committee room of P&DD, Government of Sindh.
The report noted that child labour in Sindh has declined during the last five years. Nine out of 10 households are using basic drinking water services, while almost seven in 10 households are using improved sanitation services.
Prevalence of child marriage continues to be high with almost one in four of women aged 20-24 getting married before the age of 18 years, even it drops from 31 percent reported in the last Sindh MICS.
The Bureau of Statistics (BOS) Sindh and P&D conducted two rounds of MICS in 2003-04 and 2014 prior to the third round in 2018-19. These surveys have proved to be key tools for development initiatives and in determining public budgetary outlays, particularly for the social sector.
The survey was conducted in all 29 districts of Sindh by the Bureau of Statistics (BOS) Sindh during 2018-2019 using the MICS 6 global methodology, with technical support from the UNICEF. MICS is an international household survey program used by the Government of Sindh as a source of important and reliable information based on a comprehensive set of socio-economic indicators to help make informed decisions for people of the province.
The ceremony was attended by Chief Economist P&D, Director General BOS, Member Social Sector, P&D; Special Secretary PHED, PC, LGD; Chief of Field Office UNICEF, Chief Social Policy UNICEF physically and virtually.
While welcoming the participants, Chairperson P&D Board underscored the importance of MICS as a tool for making evidences-based decisions. "MICS is one of the credible sources of data. The quality of data is comparable to international set standards. MICS data could be used to monitor and report progress on Sustainable Development Goals", chairperson P&D Board added.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2021.