Sindh Chief Minister launches Mother and Child Support Programme

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced the launch of the Mother and Child Support Programme (MCSP) through the Social Protection Delivery System, with an impressive cash transfer of Rs163.584 million to pregnant and lactating women. The MCSP aims to promote maternal, newborn, and child healthcare services for 1,000 days from conception, providing conditional cash transfers to support mothers and children.

With a budget of $201.85 million, the MCSP will enhance the existing support programme by targeting pregnant women and mothers of children under two years old. This initiative is part of the Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System in Sindh, funded by the International Development Association (IDA) with a total project cost of $230 million over five years.

Secretary of Social Protection Rafiq Mustafa highlighted the success of the MCSP pilot in Umerkot and Tharparkar districts, emphasizing its cost-effective approach to improving healthcare access for rural households. By providing targeted cash transfers to vulnerable women during critical life stages, the programme aims to enhance health and nutrition outcomes for both mothers and children.