Mother mortality ‘cause for concern’

Parliamentary Secretary Science and Technology, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Rubaba Khan Buledi on Tuesday said that legislation was afoot to reduce mother mortality rate (MMR) in Balochistan.

She expressed grave concern over the increase in MMR across the province and lauded the technical support of World Health Organization (WHO) for preventing it.

“In order to address the alarming situation of MMR in Balochistan, the draft law is being finalized and after the completion of the legal formalities by the health department, this bill will be tabled in the legislative assembly,” she expressed these views here on Tuesday while
talking to Regional Head of WHO Quetta Dr Asfand Yar Shirani, Consultant Anam Arif, and Deputy Head of MNCH Balochistan Dr Sarmad Saeed.

Detailed deliberation was made on the proposed draft law to prevent MMR related deaths and government preventive measures made in this connection so far.

Dr Buledi said that the rate of stunting among children in Pakistan is the highest in the world.

“Mothers who were malnourished in their childhood gave birth to children without undergoing any rehabilitation program to improve their physical disorder,” she said, fearing that this has serious consequences for the expectant mother and the newborn child, and consequently the
entire family.

Due to limited resources, poverty and lack of awareness about the nutritional needs of pregnant women, poor women don’t gain the required wait.