Meeting of USAID-funded MCHIP held in Dadu

The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Services Component of USAID/Pakistan's Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Programme also known as the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Programme (MCHIP) led by Jhpiego and implemented by international, local and private partners organized a meeting at Dadu to recognize achievements and mark the end of activities under MCHIP. The event attended by dignitaries, representatives from government as well as private sector.
Raja Zaman, Deputy Commissioner Dadu was the chief guest. The event was organized as part of the project's closeout ceremony, where the knowledge gained and lessons learned pertaining to Dadu were shared with relevant stakeholders. Raja Zaman acknowledged that MCHIP has successfully completed all of its assigned field interventions in 16 focused districts of Sindh under the USAID's Maternal and Child Health Programme to improve maternal, neonatal and child health.
MCHIP's areas of support included training of healthcare providers through group and on-the-job training modules, provision of supplies and equipment at its supported health facilities, minor repairs and renovation at selected facilities and supportive supervisory visits by district technical staff. MCHIP also extended extensive support to the district Dadu to strengthen routine immunization, including registration and vaccination of pregnant women and children less than two years of age.
Kareem Bukhsh Mangi shared their experiences working with MCHIP and highlighted important next steps and the way forward. MCHIP took several steps to ensure the sustainability of interventions beyond the life of the project. It was noted that MCHIP handed over all training packages and profiles of trainers that were trained by MCHIP on different maternal and newborn/FP training modules, so that they can be utilized by Department of Health (DoH) after the project ends.
MCHIP and the Lady Health Worker (LHW) Programme have finalized a strategy for sustaining the Community Health Workers (CHWs) and absorbing them into the LHW force in the province. DoH has endorsed the CHWs as an available, trained resource for LHW Programme's next phase of hiring. Other speakers including DHO, ADC Dadu, focal persons and distinguished guests from private hospitals, IHS, WHO and local NGOs acknowledged the efforts of MCHIP.