The United States has been providing assistance and cooperation to Pakistan to improve health facilities especially for the women and children.

This was stated by Dr. Marilyn Wyatt, wife of American Ambassador to Pakistan, Tuesday while talking to newsmen during her visit to Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Rural Health Center Mandra some 50 km from here.

The RHC Mandra has been upgraded and renovated with the financial assistance and technical cooperation from United Stated Agency for International Development (USAID).

The USAID provided assistance for the upgradation of 110 RHCs in 24 Districts of the country and the Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN) programme.

This was a six-year, USAID-funded project aimed at building the capacity of the existing health system and fostering a community-based approach to ensure a continuum of care for mothers and newborns.

The project is aimed at increasing awareness and informed decision making across all levels of the health systems.

The PAIMAN has begun working in 10 districts across all four provinces in Pakistan in 2004 and now it is working in 24 districts across the country with USAID assistance of dollars 92.8 million.

Through USAID funding, the PAIMAN has up-graded RHC Mandra Tahsil Gujar Khan while the Punjab government has also renovated RHC Mandra through Health Sector Reform program.

Under the PAIMAN the residential portion and the labour room of the RHC Mandra have been renovated.

Appreciating the performance of RHC Mandra, Dr. Marilyn Wyatt said, "this center is a good example of what Pakistanand the United States can accomplish in the healthcare sector when we work in partnership with each other."

Recognizing the importance and contribution of local community in improving health care system, Dr. Wyatt said the community has approved that with its cooperation any project could be made more feasible.

Dr. Wyatt said,"It is an amazing success story of people to people partnership to improve health facilities at this RHC."

She said it was also heartening to note that this success story is being replicated in other parts of the country.

Appreciating the contribution of local community, she said, it was also important for the success story of this project.

Highlighting the role of Lady Health Workers, Dr. Wyatt said, it is one of the unique and excellent programme she has seen in Pakistan. She appreciated the contribution of Lady Health Workers and said that it was knew for her as it is not even in United States.

Showing her keen interest in the welfare of women and children, Dr. Wyatt said, "I always take interest in welfare ofPakistan's women and always ready to help them."

She also appreciated the efforts of Dr. Nabeela, Dr. Khalil and other team of the RHC for their excellent work they are doing at this center.

Earlier, briefing her the Incharge of RHC Dr. Khalil said with the assistance from the USAID, now this center has been playing important role in providing health care to the mothers and new born children besides providing emergency medical treatment.

He said the RHC was working only six hours day, before the USAID assistance but now it has been working round the clock. The RHC has 20 bed facility besides ultra sound and other laboratory facilities for the population of the area which were not available for them in the past.

He said over 300 patients are being treated daily at this RHC which has become a role model for other centers.

Dr. Wyatt went around different sections of the RuralHealthCenter and appreciated the standard of the medical facilities being provided to the patients especially women and children.