ISLAMABAD: Minister for Population Welfare Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan has announced a five-year plan to curtail increasing population in the country, under which various family welfare centres and service delivery outlets would be established across the country besides taking media and religious representatives on-board.

The minister announced the population welfare programme during a press conference here at the National Press Club.

The minister said the programme is aimed at pursuing the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, which she shared in the 1994 Cairo Conference, adding that Motharma Benazir Bhutto in the conference had said; I dream of Pakistan, of an Asia, of a world, where every pregnancy is planned and every child is nurtured, loved, educated, and supported.

Dr. Firdous said service delivery outlets under the programme have almost been doubled from 3000 service centres to 5000 service centres. She said 500 Family Welfare Centres are being established in collaboration with private sector through Provincial Population Welfare Departments.

The minister said NATPOW has been activated and its Board of Directors has been reconstituted which is now supporting 500 NGOs for their involvement in providing family planning services to masses and communities.

She said two Safe Mother Homes are being established in Punjab and Sindh Provinces on pilot basis to supplement the efforts of health, private sector and development partners in reducing Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) as a part of reproductive health package.

She said eight multi-purpose service centres one each in province, AJK and Federally Administrated Areas (FANA, FATA, and Islamabad) would be set up to enhance women empowerment through income generating activities and skill development.

While, three new Regional Training Institutes (RTIs) would be established in order to accelerate the efforts for human resource development, she added. The minister said on-line Management Information System (MIS) is being introduced in the programme to strengthen programme management.

She informed the media that six Project Monitoring Cells would be established to improve monitoring and supervision of the programme. Under the programme, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said Imams and Khateebs would be involved for advocacy and social mobilization.

She said the Population Policy has been reviewed and revised draft Population Policy 2010 has been shared with all stakeholders, public and private sectors, adding; we are planning to separately share draft Population Policy with media and ulema before its finalization.

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