Page 128 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

Chapter 20

POPULATION WELFARE

The first formal family programme was launched independently in the
country in 1953 through an NGO, the Family Planning Association of
Pakistan that focused on advocating and facilitating small family norms. At
that time, the population of Punjab was 20.54 million with every married
woman bearing around 6-7 children. Three years later, as part of the first 5-
year plan (1955-60), the Government offered a small financial assistance to
the Association to establish clinics in selected cities for providing family
planning services. By 1965, a Population Family Planning Welfare Board had
also been constituted under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner,
Muzaffargarh.
District Population Welfare Officer (BPS-19) heads the District Population
Welfare Office in the District. He is assisted by 2 Deputy District Population
Welfare Officers and 1 Assistant District Population Welfare Officer. There
are 4 Tehsil Population Welfare Offices in the 4 tehsils of the District; each
is headed by a Tehsil Population Welfare Officer. The total sanctioned
strength of employees of the various grades working for the Office in the
District, including the tehsil offices and other establishments, is 298.

There are 4 Family Health Clinics (FHC), i.e. in all DHQ and THQ hospitals
of the District. The FHC is headed by a Woman Medical Officer (WMO) and
besides providing contraceptive services, also play a vital role in raising
awareness on public health issues, personal hygiene, nutrition and
breastfeeding.

There are 3 Mobile Service Units (MSU) in the tehsils Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu
and Alipur. The MSUs are headed by WMOs and provide family planning and
reproductive health services to far-flung and underserved rural population
of the District.

The Family Welfare Center (FWC) is the cornerstone of the Population Welfare
Department and exists at Union Council level. Until recently, there were 59
FWCs operating in the District, however, 21 more centers have been added
as part of an Annual Development Plan (ADP) project. The FWCs are headed
by Family Welfare Workers, and provide family planning, mother and child
health services.

In addition to the above, there are 33 positions of Social Mobilisers and 75
of Community Based Family Planning Workers (CBFPW) sanctioned for the

123