EPHS to Strengthen Maternal & Child Healthcare in Balochistan: Dr Rubaba
Published September 01, 2026 | 11:00 PM (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 1st Sep, 2026)
Adviser for Women Development Department, Dr Rubaba Khan Buledi on Tuesday said that sustainable development in Balochistan is not possible without improving the health of women, mothers and children, stressing that maternal and child healthcare must remain at the centre of the province’s Primary healthcare strategy.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) Balochistan, Dr Rubaba Khan Buledi stated that this initiative marked a significant step towards bolstering the primary healthcare system, ensuring essential medical services are more accessible to communities—especially in remote and underserved areas.
As a medical doctor herself, Dr Rubaba underscored the geographical challenges and limited access to healthcare facilities in far-flung regions, which often heighten risks for pregnant women. She emphasized the necessity of:
- Regular antenatal care (ANC): including blood pressure monitoring, hemoglobin assessment, nutritional counseling, iron and folic acid supplementation, screening for high-risk pregnancies, and timely identification of warning signs.
- Safe motherhood: relying on skilled birth attendants and an efficient referral mechanism linking Basic Health Units with tehsil and district-level hospitals to ensure prompt access to appropriate medical care.
The Adviser stressed that healthcare facilities must be well-equipped to handle major obstetric emergencies such as postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and maternal sepsis. She also highlighted the critical role of:
- Quality newborn care: including early initiation of breastfeeding, thermal care, infection prevention, and neonatal resuscitation as integral components of maternal and newborn healthcare services at primary and secondary healthcare facilities.
- Integration of maternal nutrition, breastfeeding support, immunization, growth monitoring, and preventive healthcare: to ensure the well-being of both mother and child.
Dr Rubaba concluded by reiterating that strengthening Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) services at the primary health level is paramount for Balochistan’s development.
