Islamabad/Karachi: Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho on Friday said unnecessary Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries had become a major contributor to maternal deaths in the province, and announced that the provincial government was working on legislation to curb the growing practice.
Addressing the Fourth International Family Planning Summit at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in Karachi, Dr Pechuho said the government was also considering a policy on tubal ligation after a third C-section to reduce repeated high-risk pregnancies and prevent life-threatening complications.
The summit, held under the theme “Maa Rahe Salamat” (Keeping Mothers Safe), focused on youth, family planning and digital innovation, bringing together health experts, researchers and policymakers to discuss maternal health, family planning and Pakistan’s population challenges.
Dr Pechuho said Sindh had already introduced several landmark laws aimed at improving women’s reproductive health and expanding access to family planning services.
She noted that Sindh was the first province in Pakistan to outlaw child marriage for those under 18 years of age, saying early marriages and repeated pregnancies remained among the leading causes of maternal illness and death.
The health minister said maternal mortality was also being driven by malnutrition during pregnancy, stressing that improving maternal nutrition was essential for reducing preventable deaths.
She said the government was strengthening the community midwifery system to ensure safe normal deliveries closer to people’s homes instead of relying entirely on hospitals.
Under the plan, three community midwives would be deployed at every dispensary to provide safe delivery services and improve access to skilled birth attendance, particularly in underserved areas.
Dr Pechuho said Lady Health Workers were currently providing services in around 40 to 50 percent of Sindh, while the government was working to expand their coverage to between 60 and 70 percent.
She added that poor access to healthcare facilities remained a major challenge for pregnant women in rural areas, prompting the government to improve transport services and establish birth station centres to ensure timely maternal care.
Calling for greater public support for family planning, Dr Pechuho urged families to prioritise women’s health and reproductive care, saying wider adoption of family planning could significantly reduce maternal and newborn deaths while improving the overall health of mothers and children.