Country action
Pakistan
© UNICEF/UNI416483/Saiyna Bashir On 14 April 2023 at the Ganga Ram Hospital in Lahore, Punjab province, Pakistan, staff nurse Mariam Azam holds 6-hour-old Muhammad Awais in a dedicated room for vaccination, which is supported by UNICEF and partners.
Every Woman Every Newborn in Pakistan
Download the full profile with additional key demographics, progress against milestones, and more.
©UNICEF/UNI510611/Hasnain On 18 October 2023, meet Afshan’s newborn baby in Old Wahadat, Union Council 2, Tehsil Qasimabad, Hyderabad, Sindh.
National mortality targets
Maternal mortality ratio
70 per 100,000 live births by 2030
Stillbirth rate
12 per 1,000 total births by 2030
Neonatal mortality rate
12 per 1,000 live births by 2030
Progress to meet the national maternal, newborn mortality and stillbirth reduction targets
© UNICEF/UNI416484/Saiyna Bashir. On 14 April 2023 at the Ganga Ram Hospital in Lahore, Punjab province, Pakistan, staff nurse Mariam Azam holds 6-hour-old Muhammad Awais with charge nurse Ruth Talib in a dedicated room for vaccination, which is supported by UNICEF and partners.
Progress to meet Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere coverage targets
MNH Acceleration Plan highlights
- Expand the implementation of quality of care tools on maternal and perinatal health in selected districts (see details in box below)
- Roll out the implementation of small and sick newborn units at district level, including by upgrading or repairing the infrastructure and by procuring supplies such as continuous positive airway pressure machines.
- Support to emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) at district level though an EmONC assessment of health facilities.
- Support midwifery education at district level by implementing a national and Provincial action plan on midwifery strategic framework, upgrading institutes, faculty & faculty development, ensuring continuous professional development and capacity building.
© UNICEF/UNI416483/Saiyna Bashir. On 10 May 2023 in Quetta, Balochistan province, Pakistan, vaccinator Bibi Aliya immunizes a 6-hour-old girl inside a vaccination area supported by UNICEF and partners at Bolan Medical Complex.
© UNICEF/UNI416483/Saiyna Bashir.On 18 April 2023 in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, Lady Health Worker (LHW) Shamim Hussain stands for a portrait while working.
Quality of care in Pakistan
As part of its efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and stillbirths, Pakistan is taking steps to improve the quality of maternal and newborn health. These include:
Expanding implementation of Quality of Care tools on maternal and perinatal health in selected districts:
- Scaling up implementation of Maternal Perinatal Death Surveillance & Response (MPDSR) system at district, provincial and national level,
- Strengthen Early Essential Newborn Care in selected districts
- Roll-out use of Labour Care Guide in selected districts
News and events
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