LAHORE - Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafiq has said that high rate of maternal, neonatal and infant mortality in Pakistan was a  matter of serious concern for everyone especially policymakers, health managers and medical experts.
Addressing concluding session of two-day International Neonatology Conference organized by the Neonatology Group of Pakistan Paediatrics Association at a local hotel on Sunday, he observed that rapid increase in population, limited resources, malnutrition and lack of awareness about the health issues among women were main causes health hazards for mother and child.
Organising Secretary Dr Kh Ahmad Irfan Wahid informed the participants that eminent national as well as international neonatologists participated in the conference.
Kh Salman Raffique said that Health Department was striving hard for creating awareness among the rural women regarding child birth under the supervision of skilled workers. He said that labour room facilities under the supervision of lady doctors, LHVs, nurses and SBAs were being provided at BHUs, RHCs level and 24/7 facility at selected health centers for safe delivery. He further said that pneumonia and diarrhea were major killers of new born. He said that iron deficiency due to malnutrition among the pregnant women make them anemic which produce many complications like still birth. He said that Chief Minister Punjab has directed to setup three more children hospitals in Punjab for providing best health facilities. He said that Rs 10 to 12 billion would be spent on this project. He appreciated the efforts of organizers for holding the conference and said that such academic activities were helpful for updating the knowledge of experts. A number of senior peadriatitions, neonatologists including Prof Sajid Maqbool, Dr Sajjad-ur-Rehman, Dr Asma Razzaq, Dr Arshad Khushdil, Prof Mubaris Naqvi, UNICEF, National MNCH Programme Dr Shoaib, Dr Haseen Dil, Dr Saima Asghar and other experts addressed the conference and share their experience and knowledge on the subject.