IRMNCH & Nutrition Program Punjab, Pakistan 4.25

This program is inspired by the desire of the government to reduce maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality, promote family planning services and improve nutritional status of women and children. The achievement of this objective is also part of the government's commitment to make speedy progress to achieve health related 'Millennium Development Goals' by 2015 and setting the roadmap towards achieving 'Universal Coverage' of health services in Punjab. This program will contribute in achieving health sectorial priorities in line with 'Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper –II'.

The salient features of the currently proposed program are that it adds on to what is already being done in the MNCH and LHWs Programs to achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 & 5. It will act as catalyst to assist ongoing initiatives. Additionally, new initiatives being proposed address malnutrition and aim to increase accessibility of MNCH services by provision of 24/7 service delivery at selected BHUS, all RHCs, THQs and DHQs. BHUs will be selected by a notified Provincial Management Committee (see Administrative Structure); the criteria for selection includes geographical distribution of and the community's accessibility to individual facilities.

The program will contribute to all health& nutrition sectorial priorities set in the 'Economic Growth Framework' of the Planning Commission, i.e.

Revamping/management of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare
Healthcare Financing Reforms
Governance reforms in health sector (especially setting quality standards; essential services package; aid effectiveness, service structure; capacity; access to affordable medicine; etc.)