KARACHI: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Health Policy Plus (HP+) Project held its “Project Dissemination” event on Thursday, showcasing the project’s contributions in the field of family planning.
The event was attended by Member National Assembly (MNA and Family Planning (FP)2020 Taskforce Dr Chairperson Azra Fazal Pechuho, Population Welfare Department Secretary Laeeq Ahmed, USAID Deputy Mission Director for Sindh Oghale Oddo, USAID Health Office Director Sangita Patel and along Oversight and Coordination Cell for Public Health Programs Provincial Coordinator Shahnaz Wazir Ali.
Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho spoke on the future plans of the government to promote and expand family planning services across Sindh. She also spoke on the areas where the Sindh government may need technical support in implementing the FP2020 agenda. Speakers endorsed their commitment to support Sindh in achieving family planning goals.
HP+ has supported the Sindh government in making progress towards achieving the province’s family planning goals through the execution of a Coasted Implementation Plan (CIP). The CIP is a multi-year roadmap designed to help governments achieve family planning goals by prioritizing interventions, engaging stakeholders, forecasting costs and by mobilizing resources to meet gaps in health and family planning services.
HP+ has also been successful in creating motivated advocates for family planning including journalists, women leaders, male champions, and other decision-makers and stakeholders – all of who are essential to mobilize technical and financial resources to execute the CIP and hence support the government in meeting its FP2020 commitments.
HP+ highlighted the contributions it had made to the Family Planning 2020 agenda by working with the government to strengthen population stewardship, engage the private sector for quality family planning services, strengthen policy advocacy and foster media engagement in family planning.
The project has also contributed to the government’s efforts in cultivating male champions for family planning, and has trained a group of diverse women to become a key technical resource for the government through its “Women’s Leadership Initiative”.
The event was also attended by key officials and representatives from civil society non-governmental organizations.