PESHAWAR: The UNICEF Pakistan team, led by Dr. Gunter Boussery, Chief of Health, UNICEF Pakistan, met with Adviser to the Chief Minister on Health, Ihtisham Ali Khan here in Peshawar on Thursday. Dr. Gunter was accompanied by Dr. Safina Abdullah, UNICEF Pakistan Health Manager, and Dr. Inamullah Khan, UNICEF Health Team Lead for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Ihtisham Ali Khan welcomed the UNICEF team and briefed them on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s health initiatives, appreciating UNICEF’s lasting partnership and strong coordination with the KP Health Department in areas such as health system strengthening, maternal and child health, immunization, and emergency response. The UNICEF team appreciated the government’s support and efforts in strengthening primary healthcare, particularly the plans for enhancing the Lady Health Workers (LHWs) program. The Adviser on Health shared that there had been a 57% increase in KP government revenue from taxes, enabling the launch of new health initiatives. Dr. Gunter suggested exploring domestic resource mobilization for LHWs’ operational costs and newborn care initiatives, leveraging the fiscal space created by the increased revenue. The UNICEF team also met with Director General Health Services, Dr. Mohammad Saleem, at his office. DLP Report
