Supporting women and girls in Pakistan: Scaling-up empowerment and care strategies to address health and survival (Umeed-E-Nau)
The Government of Pakistan is working to leverage its existing resources to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. To support the government in its effort to achieve SDG.3 “Health for All”- the Center of Excellence for Women and Child Health has started the Umeed-e-Nau initiative- a five years venture which is rolling-out proven and effective Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) interventions at scale within existing platforms at the community and facility level. The project is unlike any previous projects with no precedent due to its comprehensive framework which broadly includes all aspects of a health system: strengthening community outreach program, capacity building of frontline health workers and private providers to better manage MNCH, ensure sustained supply of commodities at community and facility level, expanding MNCH services coverage to underserved areas, promoting evidence based healthcare through identifying and filling gaps in existing District Health Information System (DHIS), using community based strategies for targeting demand side factor to increase care seeking for MNCH including empowering girls and women. The U-e-N initiative’s key contribution includes strengthening all components of the health service delivery, increasing coverage of MNCH services to uncovered areas and empowering women and local communities, which will gradually lead to improved maternal, newborn and child health indicators.
This initiative is being generously supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
