Through the Maternal and Newborn Health Research and Advocacy Fund we contribute to the improvement of evidence-based decision making in maternal and newborn health in Pakistan, with a particular focus on poor and marginalised groups.
Our project team does this through grant-making, capacity support and civil society strengthening activities aimed at maximising the effectiveness, impact and sustainability of research and advocacy implementation activities.
Impacting on policy and practice
A total of 52 maternal and newborn health research and advocacy projects are being funded in 95 districts across Pakistan, including all ten districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which is having a direct impact on policy and practice across the country.
Collating evidence
The development of a body of evidence on Community Midwives has led to recommendations being taken up by the governments in Punjab, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, helping to strengthen the Community Midwives programme and increase the number of births attended by skilled birth attendants.
Life-saving partnerships
The work of research and advocacy partnerships has led to the addition of Misoprostol to the Essential Drug List in all provinces of Pakistan, making this life-saving drug available to women after giving birth through the government healthcare system.
Advocacy by Rahnuma – Family Planning Association of Pakistan has led to the inclusion of a Minimum Initial Service Package in the standard operating procedures of the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities of all provinces of Pakistan, ensuring that the sexual and reproductive needs of women are considered in emergency situations.
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‘I would like to acknowledge the contributions of the programme in influencing a culture of evidence based policy and practice change in Pakistan.’
Dr Sahib Jan Badr, Provincial Co-ordinator, Provincial MNCH Programme, Government of Sindh, Pakistan
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