ISLAMABAD : A state-of-the-art Maternal and Child Health Centre was inaugurated at Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences (LUMHS) in Jamshoro on Friday, marking a significant step in improving healthcare access for mothers and children in Sindh.
According to the Japan embassy here, the project, titled “The Project for the Extension of Maternal and Child Health Care Facility in Sindh,” has been completed with a generous grant of approximately 4.1 billion yen from the Government of Japan. The new facility is expected to benefit nearly 3.5 million residents of Hyderabad and Jamshoro, two of southern Sindh’s most densely populated districts.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by high-profile dignitaries including Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Shuichi Akamatsu, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Provincial Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, and Naoaki Miyata, Chief Representative of JICA Pakistan Office.
Equipped with modern departments for obstetrics and pediatrics, as well as labor rooms, neonatal and maternal-fetal ICUs, outpatient consultation rooms, and diagnostic laboratories, the center is fully furnished with essential medical equipment, including ultrasound devices and neonatal incubators.
Ambassador Akamatsu, while addressing the event, stated, “This facility brings essential medical services closer to home and provides mothers and babies with the timely, quality healthcare they deserve. We hope it will be sustainably and effectively utilized.”
JICA Chief Naoaki Miyata added, “This project at LUMHS will contribute to reducing maternal and child mortality and ensure greater access to quality healthcare in Sindh.”
In her remarks, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho acknowledged the acute shortage of specialized maternal and child healthcare facilities across Sindh. She noted that the new center would help reduce the burden on tertiary hospitals in Karachi and Hyderabad, while increasing lifesaving interventions for vulnerable populations in rural and underserved areas.
The Government of Japan and JICA have prioritized maternal and child health in their development strategy for Pakistan and reiterated their continued support for initiatives aimed at enhancing public health outcomes.
This project marks a milestone in Pakistan-Japan cooperation, reaffirming shared commitments to human development and sustainable healthcare infrastructure.