Peshawar   -  Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Health, Ihtisham Ali, accompanied by Health Secretary Adeel Shah, visited the UNICEF Peshawar office on Tuesday.

The provincial minister was warmly welcomed by UNICEF’s Health Team Lead, Dr Inamullah, Programme Manager Wisam Hazem, and Nutrition Specialist Ayen Afridi. During the visit, UNICEF provided a comprehensive briefing on the support it is providing to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department.

In his address, Health Adviser Ihtisham Ali expressed his gratitude to UNICEF for its invaluable support, particularly in ensuring the provision of healthcare services in remote areas and enhancing immunization efforts. He highlighted that the Health Department will collaborate closely with UNICEF in future planning, ensuring that the department’s needs are reflected in UNICEF’s strategies. He also urged UNICEF to continue supporting the revitalization of primary healthcare.

UNICEF representatives briefed the Adviser to the CM on their fiveyear programme (2023-2027), which includes assistance in various health sectors such as polio eradication, maternal and child health, nutrition, and more. UNICEF is also supporting the Health Department’s digitization efforts, particularly in implementing the DHIS-2 system. Additionally, they are assisting with the Newborn Strategy, expanding the capacity of oxygen plants, and driving social behaviour change initiatives. UNICEF remains a vital partner in providing emergency assistance to the health department.

During the briefing at the UNICEF Peshawar office, Health Adviser Ihtisham Ali was informed about the alarming malnutrition situation among children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While support programmes are in place, it was emphasized that more robust and urgent actions are needed from the Health Department to tackle this issue effectively.

UNICEF is actively working with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, Khyber Medical University, and the Planning and Development Department to address the malnutrition crisis. The Health Adviser was informed that, in addition to ongoing initiatives, it is crucial to include essential medicines in the MCC procurement list that can help combat malnutrition, particularly in remote areas. These medicines are expected to play a significant role in addressing nutritional deficiencies and improving child health outcomes across the province.

The briefing also highlighted a concerning issue: the province’s high neonatal mortality rate, which remains above the target set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to a survey conducted in 2020, 158,947 children under the age of one died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between 2018 and 2020. Alarmingly, 86% of these deaths, amounting to 135,499 children, occurred in rural areas, with 118,142 of them being less than one month old.

The briefing underscored the low basic immunization coverage in both settled and tribal districts, which continues to pose a significant risk for polio outbreaks. It was emphasised that the revitalization of primary healthcare is crucial in addressing these challenges and improving health outcomes in the province.