PAST PROJECT
This project provided outpatient services to adult men, women and children, and maintained an added focus on strengthening Mother Child Health services with inpatient and outreach services.

PROJECT BACKGROUND:

Pakistan’s maternal and child health indicators remain extremely poor. The infant mortality rate is 77 per 1,000 live births; new born morality rate is 55 per 1000 live births and the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) ranges between 350-400 per 100,000 live births. Prevalence of nutritional disorders, infectious diseases, and access to health care facilities are dire in Pakistan. Previous attempts to improve access to health care services through building of more health facilities and upgrading skill levels of health care providers have not led to significant improvement in the access and utilization indicators, partly because the rural poor have been excluded from these developments.

IDRF along with SHINE Humanity rethought the previous strategies used by other organizations and teamed up to invest in localized primary and preventive care and outreach services that bring healthcare to the doorsteps of the rural communities in need. Nestled in Bagh Dhere, Swat Valley the Primary Healthcare Facility provided health services for the population, particularly the poor, marginalised and disadvantaged segments. The facility provided outpatient services to adult men, women and children, and maintained an added focus on strengthening Mother Child Health services with inpatient and outreach services. The project worked towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in maternal and child health, by reducing mortality, new born fatalities and improving maternal health and wellness.

OBJECTIVES:

• Strengthening health systems through improvement in technical and managerial capacity as well as equipping and upgrading the facilities
• Providing outpatient, urgent care and limited inpatient services to approximately 3,000 patients a month for nine months
• Providing a laboratory and ultrasound machine for basic health screening and antenatal care
• Setting up a birth centre with skilled birth attendants to deal with uncomplicated deliveries
• Increasing awareness around Maternal and Child Health (reducing complications due to nutrition and hygiene)
• Increasing demand for health services through targeted, socially acceptable communication strategies
• Providing ambulatory support and strengthening the referral system with Swat DHQ
  

PLANNED ACTIVITIES:

• Out-patient services for men, women and children
• Limited in-patient services for women and children
• Birth center and nursery for non-complicated deliveries
• Urgent care, first aid, trauma for men, women and children
• Pharmacy
• Minor laboratory for essential antenatal tests
• Ambulatory support
• Hygiene and health counseling
  

PROJECT BENEFICIARIES:

This project aimed to deliver primary, preventive and urgent care services to the doorsteps of residents in this disaster-impacted community. The project improved and equipped the facility, provided medical and technical managerial support, staffed the centre as well as followed through with oversight and evaluation. This project helped to save lives and improve the quality of life standards by providing timely medical care. The project’s hygiene and health education efforts also improved the outlook and welfare of the communities we served. An estimate 75 per cent of the patient population consisted of women and children, thereby directly addressing inequitable access to healthcare service amongst rural women in this part of the country.

Partner: Sustainable Healthcare Initiatives Now Empowering (SHINE)

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