Social & Economic Development- Health

SPO is successfully implementing its project titled ‘Global Funding Public Private Mix Model’ as a Sub-Recipient (SR) with Mercy Corps in 6 districts of Balochistan under Public Private Mix (PPM) model. The project started in January 2019 and will conclude in December 2020 and is being implemented in districts Pishin, Sibi, Jafarabad, Panjgur, Kech and Lasbela of Balochistan.

The objective of the project is to increase the number of notified TB cases from 366,061 in 2016 to at least 453,409 by end of year 2020 while maintaining the treatment success rate at 91 %. The project also aims to increase the enrolment of Multi Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases from 19.2% in year 2016 to at least 30% by end of year 2020.

SPO under its Health sector component is closely working in collaboration with the Balochistan TB Programmewhich supervises and monitors the implementation of TB control activities at the Provincial level. At the district level, SPO implemented the activities under the supervision of District TB Coordinators (DTCs). SPO is in process of registering 2,213 TB patients through private General Practitioners (GPs) and laboratories. Similarly, 144 TB patients are in progress to be identified through 72 community gatherings by organizing 72 chest camps in selected districts. SPO as part of its advocacy campaign, organized community gatherings and chest camps in various high prevalence areas for active case finding. By involving community notables, it aimed to spread the message to larger numbers of men, women and children to participate in chest camps. SPO aims to continue its efforts for a TB free Pakistan.

SPO successfully implemented ‘Quality Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare Through Community Mobilization from Rhetoric to Reality’ project in collaboration with the Packard Foundation. The project started in January 2013 and concluded in December 2015, covering Districts Lodhran and Khanewal in Punjab and Matiari and Tando Mohammad Khan in Sindh.

The overarching goal of this project was to strengthen the implementation and quality of Family Planning (FP) and Reproductive Health (RH) services by establishing a functional community oversight and advocacy mechanism for strengthening the overall management and monitoring mechanisms of Public FP/RH services for improved health and population outcomes. A comprehensive model was applied using public sector community based workers, Lady Health Workers and also Community Midwives. Male involvement was made mandatory in order to build consensus within the ambits of the families.

SPO involved communities in the oversight of family planning and reproductive health services through use of existing structures i.e. health committees and linking them up with the district health and population authorities. Monitoring of health services has been a weakest area of Public Sector, so the formed Network Health committees conducted review exercises and  used service quality checklist to identify issues and gaps and make recommendations on monthly basis SPO developed linkages at district level which led to timely corrective actions taken by local authorities based on recommendations compiled by the community.

SPO successfully implemented ‘We Care; Financial Empowerment for Women for Increase of Access to Maternal & Newborn Health Care’ project with the financial support of Research Advocacy Fund (RAF).The project started in January 2012 and concluded in July 2014. This project was implemented in district Quetta in Balochistan, district Badin in Sindh, district Faisalabad in Punjab and district Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The project comprised of a research component aimed to assess efficacy and relevance of existing Social Safety Nets (SSNs) in Pakistan and review globally tested models to advocate most pertinent recommendations, policy directives and feedback to key stakeholders. The second component focused on advocacy to sensitize women about their Maternal & Newborn Health (MNH) needs, and create awareness regarding relevant cash transfer options, so that they can utilize cash payments to pay for services at healthcare facilities. Public oversight mechanisms were proposed through this project to enhance the accountability of public cash transfer initiatives, including BISP, for more effective and transparent implementation of cash transfer schemes.

SPO under its ‘Social & Economic Development’ programme has been successful in establishing the importance and need of Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) in MNH related interventions in the country.

The biggest success of the project was the large scale mobilization of parliamentarians, line department officials and civil society in the target districts for spreading awareness and bringing all the stakeholders to unite on issues such as benefits of CCTs vs Non Conditional Cash Transfers (NCCTs), significance of MNH and how to use CCTs for this purpose and participation of BISP and discussion on outstanding issues and their way forward.

SPO successfully implemented its project titled ‘Access to Water & Sanitation for All’ project in collaboration with Punjab Saaf Pani Company. The project started in 2012 and concluded in 2013, and was implemented in districts Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab.

The objective of the project was to provide clean drinking water to communities previously forced to drink contaminated water due to contamination of groundwater resources and inadequate operation and maintenance of government owned water supply schemes. Before the implementation phase, SPO conducted a community baseline survey through which water supply schemes were identified in the underserved rural, semi and peri-urban areas. The baseline also identified the number of population that was benefitting from the supply schemes while also analyzing the socio-economic and cultural dynamics of the local communities.

SPO mobilized communities to form Water User Committees (WUCs) which comprised of members that have influence and expertise in facilitating such initiatives. SPO organized 4 trainings for WUCs to identify their roles and responsibilities for improved operation, maintenance and sustainability of the water supply schemes. SPO also arranged a series of WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) awareness sessions for the project beneficiaries which included elders, men, women, children and youth. Through these interventions SPO provided clean and safe drinking water and improved hygiene practices to 5,429,547 persons in Faisalabad, 1,843,194 persons in Sahiwal, 2,433,091 persons in Bahawalpur, 1,643,118 persons D.G.

SPO successfully implemented ‘Tacmil Project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’ with the financial support of USAID.The project started in November 2008 and concluded in October 2009, covering district Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The overall goal of this project was to improve the monitoring system of health sector in district Charsadda. In order to achieve this goal, SPO formed 25 Health Monitoring Committee (HMC) at UC level and two committees at district level. The project also aimed to form and strengthen a district health board in Charsadda that would hold the HMCs accountable. SPO also initiated awareness campaigns to create awareness among the masses about their basic right to quality healthcare.

SPO under its ‘Social & Economic Development’ programme organized project activities under three phases of mobilization, capacity building, and advocacy. The advocacy initiatives were carried out in collaboration with the civil society networks and were also integral part of the project. The anticipated result of this intervention was improved performance of government health services in district Charsadda. To ensure joint monitoring and following participatory approach the HMC was formed consisting of local community and government representatives. Major stakeholders such as the district Nazim, DCO, Tehsil Nazim, and EDO Health were engaged through this intervention. This project strengthened linkages between the district health management committee, district health boards, CSN, and the local government so to ensure long term sustainability.