Daily Times

A consultative meeting on Contraceptive Pool Procurement was held at a local hotel in Islamabad. The meeting was organized by Population Program Wing (PPW), Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination in collaboration with USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management project. The meeting was attended by representatives of provincial/regional health and population welfare departments, federal and provincial procurement regulatory authorities and UNFPA FP Advisor, Dr Yilma Alazar.

“In pursuance of national action plan for family planning, federal and provincial governments are mandated to accelerate efforts for provision of uninterrupted family planning services and commodities to the eligible population across the country”, said the SAPM on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan while speaking on national consultation meeting for contraceptives pool procurement

SAPM posed his complete support to the provincial governments for adopting the pool mechanism for contraceptive procurement and informed that an Integrated Supply Chain Management and Procurement Cell is being established within the Ministry with the technical support of USAID GHSC-PSM project. He further apprised that the Cell would usher an era of defragmentation of supply chain and procurement functions within the ICT as well as Federating Areas and will coordinate with provinces to gain resource efficiencies and quality assurance of health products being procured and managed by the Ministry. He said that it was exciting to have procurers and procurement regulators sitting on one table for the greater national cause. He imported that population welfare is the top agenda for the current government.

Dr Zafar Mirza, ex-special advisor to prime minister on health stressed that unchecked population growth is the mother of all problems in the country. He emphasized that no amount of economic development can fulfil the gap of resources for alarmingly growing population. To ensure sustainable contraceptive commodity security across the country, Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Country Director USAID funded GHSC-PSM project, highlighted the need to achieve economies of scale and use public funds more efficiently as defragmented procurements and small volumes had less appeal for international bidders. Instead, by procuring a larger volume of contraceptives, and placing more response and competitive bids, the country could have a better availability of internationally produced products.

Dr Enilda Martin, Director Health Office USAID, appreciated the highest-level of political commitment shown by the Pakistan Government towards family planning. USAID is committed to extend all possible support to improve information systems, commodity security and management for the Health Sector in Pakistan.

Dr Shabnum Sarfraz, Member Social Sector, M/o PD&SI, assured to extend full support to all provincial and regional governments for population welfare initiatives.