Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has announced that Rs163.584 million has been disbursed to pregnant and lactating women as part of the Mother and Child Support Programme (MCSP). This initiative aims to promote maternal and child healthcare services over a period of three years from conception, encouraging women to utilize essential healthcare services during the critical 1,000-day window. The program provides conditional cash transfers to support these women, with a budget of $201.85 million allocated for its implementation.
The MCSP, a component of the Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System in Sindh (SSPDS), is funded by the International Development Association (IDA) with $200 million, along with a $30 million counterpart funding from the Sindh government. The SSPDS, launched in collaboration with IDA, has a total project cost of $230 million and is scheduled to run from 2023 to 2027.
Secretary of Social Protection, Rafiq Mustafa Shaikh, highlighted the program’s effectiveness in increasing access to essential healthcare services for rural households, particularly in impoverished districts such as Umerkot, Tharparkar, and others identified based on the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
Samiullah Shaikh, CEO of Social Protection Authority, outlined the program’s structure, which includes 16 touchpoints covering antenatal care, safe deliveries, postnatal checkups, and child immunization. It aims to benefit 1.3 million pregnant and lactating women over the next five years.
During a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House, it was revealed that Rs285.656 million had been allocated for cash transfers, with Rs163.584 million already disbursed. The Chief Minister instructed the Social Protection Department to expedite the issuance of CNICs to eligible mothers to ensure their participation in the program.
