Every 45 minutes, a woman in Pakistan dies due to pregnancy-related complications. Access to family planning and health facilities is essential to save the mother’s life.
The 4th International Family Planning Summit was organized in collaboration with Jinnah Sindh Medical University and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Department of Gynecology, Ward 9-B, in which health experts, researchers, policymakers and personalities associated with related fields participated.
The theme of the summit was “Youth, Family Planning and Digital Innovation”, which aimed to consider modern and effective strategies to address the challenges of maternal and child health, family planning and growing population.
Addressing the summit, Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho said that the Sindh government is taking practical steps to bring maternity facilities to the doorsteps of the people, old dispensaries are being converted into birthing stations, while community midwives are being trained to provide safe home maternity services.
He said that the ambulance system is being made more effective to transfer complex and emergency maternity cases to hospitals in a timely manner, while the supply chain system is also being improved to ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines and essential medical equipment to health centers, so that medical staff working at the basic level have all the necessary facilities to save the lives of patients.
He said that the presence of media is not allowed in hospitals, doctors and other people who want to talk to the media should come out of the hospital and express their views. He asked the media to point out the shortcomings of the hospitals, because only your pointing out helps us.
He said that all doctors are allowed to talk to the media and give their views, doctors should give their views to the media and inform them of all the facts. He said that for the issues of Jinnah Hospital, contact Dr. Khalid Sher, I have told Dr. Khalid Sher that from now on he will give his views to the media.
Addressing the ongoing 4th International Family Planning Summit at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center in Karachi, Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho said that today I want to tell you what Sindh is doing, what the Sindh government is doing, and Sindh is at the forefront in this regard. She said that we have made many laws that do not exist anywhere else.
She said that the mortality rate in Sindh is increasing due to C-section, we are working on it and its results will be seen very soon. She said that a woman who comes after the third C-section should be given TL.
She added that there is no transport facility for women, so birth station centers are being set up to improve this.
Minister for Universities and Boards Ismail Rao paid tribute to Professor Dr. Nighat Shah for organizing the summit and said that youth are our greatest asset, the purpose of higher educational institutions is not only to award degrees but also to raise awareness of reproductive health, responsible decisions and health awareness among the youth.
Vice Chancellor Jinnah Sindh Medical University and Chief Patron Professor Amjad Siraj Memon emphasized the importance of male contraceptive methods and said that vasectomy is an important means of controlling population, awareness in this regard and availability of facilities in all hospitals should be ensured. He said that vasectomy cases in Sindh have increased from 24 in 2021 to more than 4,000 in 2025, a trend that needs to be further pursued.
Chief organizer Prof. Dr. Nighat Shah, Pro Vice Chancellor Jinnah Sindh Medical University and Head of Gynecology Ward 9-B, JPMC said that Pakistan’s population is increasing by about 6 million people annually, while the use of contraceptive methods is only 34 percent and the family planning needs of 17.8 percent of the population are not being met.
He said that the aim of the summit is to equip the youth with modern digital resources and accurate information so that they can make informed and responsible decisions regarding their health and future. The summit was also attended by Dr. Khalid Sher, Executive Director, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, and other experts, researchers and policymakers.
The speakers stressed the need for coordinated and effective measures for maternal and child health, family planning and population balance. The participants also emphasized that the problem of a woman dying every 45 minutes in Pakistan due to pregnancy and maternity complications is of utmost concern, to address which timely medical assistance, safe childbirth, family planning and easy access to basic health facilities must be made a national priority.
The summit expressed the determination that “Maa Rahe Salamat” should not be just a slogan but a consistent and unified national priority for a better public health future for Pakistan.