Jamshoro: In a landmark development for maternal and child healthcare in Sindh, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday inaugurated a 128-bed Mother and Child Health Centre at Liaquat University, Jamshoro, built with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Calling the new facility a “beacon of hope,” the Chief Minister hailed it as a symbol of the enduring friendship between Pakistan and Japan and a critical step toward ensuring safer births and healthier futures for children across the province.
The Rs. 331 million hospital, constructed under the Annual Development Programme 2025–26, raises Liaquat University Hospital’s total bed count to 856 and is equipped with modern technology and trained staff to provide 24/7 maternal and neonatal services.
The facility will be fully operational next week and serve patients from across Hyderabad Division and beyond.
Acknowledging Japan’s Ambassador Mr. Shoichi Okamoto and JICA’s consistent support, Murad Ali Shah described the project as a model of international cooperation that has translated into real impact on the ground.
“This hospital is not just concrete—it is a statement of compassion and shared vision,” he said.
Expanding on Sindh’s broader maternal and child health agenda, the Chief Minister announced the rollout of new satellite healthcare centres in Shahdadpur, Qambar, Shahdadkot, Sujawal, and Mirpur Mathelo, promising around-the-clock care for women and children in underserved areas.
He also praised the expansion of mobile health units and telemedicine services, describing them as “lifelines for families once hours away from basic healthcare.”
Highlighting the success of the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN), Murad Ali Shah said it now runs one of the largest public neonatal intensive care networks globally, with over 262 incubators.
With more than 500,000 children treated annually and a 91% survival rate, infant mortality in Sindh has fallen dramatically—from 54 to 29 deaths per 1,000 live births.
“Today, no child in Sindh is more than 30 minutes from emergency care,” he noted, crediting partnerships like the one with ChildLife Foundation, which operates neonatal units in all Taluka hospitals. “SICHN is now on par with private hospitals in both infrastructure and outcomes,” he added.
Murad Ali Shah also pointed to other milestones in Sindh’s healthcare transformation, including liver transplants at Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences, kidney transplants at SIUT, and free cancer treatment at JPMC—each valued at around $100,000 per patient and funded by the Sindh government.
“These are not just hospitals—they are promises fulfilled,” he said.
The Chief Minister reaffirmed Sindh’s constitutional right to manage its own health institutions, criticizing federal attempts to reclaim certain hospitals post-18th Amendment. “Health is a provincial subject, and we will protect our jurisdiction and our people’s right to care,” he stated.
Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Japanese Ambassador Mr. Shoichi Okamoto, Health Secretary Rehan Baloch, and SICHN Executive Director Prof. Jamal Raza also addressed the ceremony, reinforcing the joint commitment to dignity, equity, and the well-being of every mother and child in the province.
“The birth of a child should always be a moment of hope, not fear,” said the Chief Minister in closing. “Our mission is to ensure no mother dies during childbirth and every child begins life healthy and protected.”
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