KARACHI: Aga Khan University (AKU), in collaboration with the Sindh Department of Health and the People's Primary Healthcare Initiative, marked the two-year milestone of the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) in Tando Allahyar district. The symposium, supported by the Gates Foundation and held at AKU, gathered officials and health workers to evaluate the program's success and discuss its potential expansion to other rural areas in Sindh.

According to Aga Khan University, Tando Allahyar, a district with nearly one million residents, has been the pilot site for EPHS, which includes 62 interventions across various healthcare settings. The initiative has introduced digital health reporting, a specialized care nursery, and general anesthesia services at the District Headquarters Hospital. Additionally, nearly 500 Lady Health Workers have received training, enhancing the district's healthcare capabilities.

The symposium highlighted the importance of sustainability and scalability in health interventions, with Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Sindh's Minister for Health & Population Welfare, emphasizing the need for long-term planning. Technical sessions covered clinical guideline development, cost analysis, and provider behavior-change initiatives, which are instrumental for the program's expansion.

Dr. Sameen Siddiqi of AKU noted the significant learnings in training, digitization, and community engagement that have emerged in the past two years. The symposium also featured insights from Dr. David Wilson of the Gates Foundation and other health and development partners, underscoring the collaborative effort to improve health services in Sindh.