KARACHI: Aga Khan University and the Sindh Department of Health, with support from the Gates Foundation, convened a symposium to commemorate two years of implementing the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) in Tando Allahyar district. The event, which took place at Aga Khan University, gathered government officials, development partners, and health workers to review progress and explore expanding the model to other rural districts in Sindh.

According to the Aga Khan University, Tando Allahyar, a district with nearly one million residents, has served as a pilot for the EPHS, a package comprising 62 healthcare interventions. The district became the first in Sindh to deploy daily digital health reporting systems, including DHIS2 and EMR, and introduced new medical capabilities at the District Headquarters Hospital. Nearly 500 Lady Health Workers received training on clinical guidelines, and General Anaesthesia services were provided for the first time in the district.

As part of these initiatives, 55 health facility staff members have been trained in digital reporting, and an increasing number of the district's facilities are now reporting in real time. The District Headquarters Hospital's new specialized care nursery, staffed by nine trained professionals, has introduced newborn intensive care services. Surgical services have also expanded, with almost 30% of procedures conducted under General Anaesthesia.

The Minister for Health and Population Welfare, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, emphasized the importance of creating a scalable and sustainable model, warning against interventions that falter once initial support ends. Technical sessions at the symposium addressed clinical guidelines, costing analysis, and provider behavior-change initiatives, with discussions focused on scaling the program to other districts.

Dr. Sameen Siddiqi from AKU highlighted the learnings from Tando Allahyar's implementation, noting that these can guide further application of EPHS in other regions of Sindh and Pakistan. The symposium also featured insights from representatives of the Gates Foundation, UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank, and Sindh's Department of Health.