Aga Khan University and Government of Sindh Celebrate Two Years of Essential Health Services in Tando Allahyar
KARACHI: Aga Khan University (AKU), in partnership with the Sindh Department of Health and the People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), and supported by the Gates Foundation, recently hosted a province-wide symposium to mark two years of implementing the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) in Tando Allahyar district.
The event, held at AKU on September 15, 2026, brought together government officials, development partners, and frontline health workers to assess progress and discuss expanding the model to other rural districts in Sindh. Representatives from 13 different districts across the province attended.
Tando Allahyar, home to approximately one million people, with 78% residing in rural areas, has served as the pilot district for EPHS, a 62-intervention package of care delivered across community, primary, and first-level hospital settings.
Since its launch, the district achieved several notable milestones:
- Digital Health Reporting: It became the first in Sindh to implement daily digital health reporting through DHIS2 and EMR.
- Specialized Care Nursery: A Specialized Care Nursery was opened at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, providing newborn intensive care services previously unavailable.
- Enhanced Surgical Services: Almost 30% of procedures are now conducted under General Anesthesia, a significant expansion in surgical capabilities.
- Training: Nearly 500 Lady Health Workers received training on clinical guidelines, and over 55 health facility staff learned digital reporting.
“I hope this implementation is not limited to Tando Allahyar alone. We want a scalable and sustainable model,” expressed Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister for Health & Population Welfare, Government of Sindh.
The symposium’s technical sessions covered:
- Clinical Guidelines: Development of clinical guidelines for all 62 EPHS interventions in Urdu, English, and Sindhi.
- Costing Analysis: Examination of the cost associated with the interventions.
- Provider Behavior-Change Initiatives: Strategies to encourage healthcare provider participation and engagement.
Speakers highlighted the progress made in Tando Allahyar, particularly the Public Financial Management training and Service Coverage Index surveys, which lay the groundwork for evidence-based scaling to other districts in Sindh.
