Neonatal mortality rate in Sindh down to 2.9%: CM

Says his govt aims to reduce child mortality by further 50% over next 5 years

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Monday that due to the successful partnership between the Sindh government and Child Life Foundation (CLF), the neonatal mortality rate in Sindh has been brought down to 2.9%, which is significantly lower than Pakistan's national average of 5.4%.

The chief minister made these remarks at the inauguration of Pakistan's first public-sector Level 5 Child Safe Care facility at the Sindh Government Hospital, during the Global Recognition of Healthcare Quality in Children's Emergency Rooms ceremony and the distribution of certificates. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was the chief guest at the event.

CM Shah highlighted the successes of the Sindh government's partnership with Child Life Foundation, describing it as a model of public-private partnership to improve the children's healthcare system. He stressed that his government is committed to providing every child in the province with 24/7 access to world-class emergency health services within 30 minutes, free of charge.

As a result of this partnership, the neonatal mortality rate in Sindh has been reduced by 2.9%, which is significantly lower than the national average of 5.4%, he said. In Child Life Foundation-managed emergency rooms, the child mortality rate is only 1.2%, which is at par with the best private hospitals in the country.

Since 2010, more than one million children have been treated annually in Sindh's emergency rooms. Modern emergency facilities have been established in nine teaching hospitals, including in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Larkana.

CM Shah said that his government has launched a 24-hour telemedicine network in all 105 tehsils in Sindh, providing consultation with pediatric specialists, even in remote areas. He added that to ensure transparency and accountability, all funds provided by the Sindh government are audited through AF Ferguson. The chief minister further stated that the efforts of his government and Child Life Foundation have been internationally recognised. The Children's Emergency Room at Karachi's Civil Hospital became the first in Pakistan's public sector to receive Level 5 Safe Care Certification.