Caring for mothers: Special incentives for pregnant women to extend across province

Initially launched for 10 districts, CM to soon approve package for restof K-P.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to extend its special incentive package for pregnant women to all districts of the province, health department officials told The Express Tribune on Monday.

The proposal to extend the programme was taken at a high-level meeting held earlier, said well-placed officials. Now it requires the approval of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and that should come soon too, they added.

The programme is being managed under the chief minister’s discretionary funds and requires his approval. The package aims at ensuring pregnant women visit official health centres for the sake of their own wellbeing and that of their unborn children.



Provincial in charge of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Programme, Sahib Gul, confirmed the move, saying the matter is pending with the chief minister and will soon be approved.

He said Chief Minister Pervez Khattak approved a total of Rs300 million for the programme in July 2014, adding Rs150 million has already been spent whereas the rest of the funds are yet to be provided.

“Pregnant women are given Rs300 to cover their transportation costs as well as free medicines at health centres on every visit through cards issued in 10 districts across the province,” Gul said, adding the programme would now be extended to the rest of K-P. The programme was shared with Bangladeshi authorities during a seminar in Bangladesh. They not only lauded the initiative, but also sought details for implementation in their own country, said the official.

“Yes, it was initially launched in ten districts. However, keeping in view the results in mother and child health and the substantial decrease in infant mortality, it was decided to extend the special incentives across K-P,” said another official requesting anonymity.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2015.