In an effort to educate expectant mothers and household heads in the Merged Areas (MA) about maternal health and strengthen the medical referral system, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has launched the Mashoom Health Application as part of its Special Emphasis Programmes (SEP) to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in the region with an innovative use of mobile technology.
This initiative has been designed and implemented with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Merged Areas Governance Project (MAGP).
The MA has one of the highest maternal mortality (MMR) and infant mortality rates (IMR) in Pakistan and globally.
The MMR in the MA is 140 per cent higher than the rest of K-P while the IMR is almost 60 per cent higher in the MA than in the province. Only around 50 per cent of the women give birth in the presence of a skilled professional.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2022.
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