There are problems in our system to tackle family planning that despite the National Action Plan on population, the populaiton growth rate is increasing at an alarming rate. Prime Minister is very much concerned about polio, family planning and Nutrtion of the general masses.These views were expressed by the PM Coordinator on health services, Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, while speaking to the opening session of three days workshop titled “Implementation Status of National Action Plan (NAP) on Population (2019-24) and Impediments / Bottlenecks Causing Hurdles to Reduce Population Growth Rate in Pakistan” organised by Population Programme Wing, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination at Islamabad from 23rd to 25th April 2024. The objective of the Workshop is to access the implementation status of NAP and to highlight the challenges / hurdles which resulted in increase of Population Growth Rate of Pakistan from 2.4 % in 2017 to 2.5 % in 2024.The audience of the Workshop are representatives of Population Welfare and Health Departments of Provinces / Regions as well as representatives of CSO’s, NGO’s and Donor Organizations i.e. UNFPA. Speaking on the occasion, Coordinator to the Prime Minister extended his gratitude to all the participants and conveyed special appreciation to UNFPA for their steadfast support concerning population and family planning issues in Pakistan. He highlighted the urgent concerns he inherited, including polio, family planning, and nutrition and emphasized the importance of convening all stakeholders to collectively address these challenges through collaborative problem-solving by acknowledging the limitations posed by the 18th Constitutional Amendment. He advocated for a comprehensive strategy endorsed by all stakeholders to tackle the issues such as unmet needs, universal coverage, and unwanted pregnancies. He proposed integration of Population Welfare and Health Departments at Provinces and merger of Lady Health Worker’s program in the Population Welfare Department and urged for incorporating family planning into the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) to enhance service delivery. Mr. Ahmed encouraged participants to share insights and obstacles from their respective provinces, acknowledging their expertise and diverse perspectives. He reiterated the participants to focus on practical issues which can be addressed rather than contentious issues like the NFC or matters affecting national security and unity. He expressed optimism that the collaborative efforts would yield meaningful recommendations and pave the way for advocacy at the provincial and regional levels, extending gratitude once again to the UNFPA for their unwavering support.
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