Asma Bilal, Country Director of Marie Stopes Society (MSS), has announced that with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO-UK), a fleet of 16 Roshni Mobile Health Units is actively delivering reproductive health and family planning services to remote areas across the country.

In an interview with Radio Pakistan’s correspondent Qasim Bukhari in connection with International Women's Day, she said that these mobile health units operate in a manner similar to Punjab's Clinic on Wheels project. Each unit is staffed with lady health visitors (LHVs), doctors, and community workers to ensure women receive confidential reproductive health services.

Furthermore, follow-up visits are conducted to ensure continuity of care.

Asma Bilal emphasized MSS's commitment to providing the best healthcare services to women across the nation.

Additionally, the country director highlighted that Marie Stopes Society runs an advisory helpline, ‘Mashvara,’ which offers reproductive health information. The society also operates a teleconsultation service that connects community midwives and lady health providers with doctors via video calls. This initiative addresses the shortage of medical professionals in rural areas, allowing doctors to remotely assess patient histories and prescribe treatments.

She also shared that for the past 30 years, MSS has been working across all provinces of Pakistan, focusing on improving access to family planning services to protect maternal and child health.

In response to a question, Asma emphasized that MSS is working closely with the government, particularly the Population Welfare Department, to identify underserved areas and provide training to healthcare providers. The training aims to improve communication and counseling skills to enhance service delivery.

Furthermore, Asma informed that with FCDO’s continued support, the fleet of mobile health units will expand from 16 to 20 vans. These units not only offer regular healthcare services in remote areas but also play a vital role in disaster response. During emergencies, such as the 2022 floods, the mobile health units proved essential in delivering critical medical aid to affected communities.