In August 2024, the Sindh Department of Health, in partnership with the Gates Foundation and Aga Khan University, launched the initiative to implement the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) in Tando Allahyar District. This ambitious project aims to strengthen healthcare delivery, improve service coverage and create a scalable model for rural health systems in Sindh province and Pakistan.

With a population of nearly 1 million people, Tando Allahyar faces significant healthcare challenges. Nearly half of its residents live below the poverty line, and only 39.6 out of 100 essential health services are currently accessible. The EPHS initiative seeks to change this by piloting 62 high-impact interventions, optimizing district health systems, and laying the foundation for province-wide expansion by 2027.