Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the Sindh Social Protection Authority (SSPA) to expand its Maternal & Child Support Programme (MCSP), also known as the Mamta programme, to seven additional districts, increasing the total coverage to 22 districts.
The expansion is aimed at improving maternal & child health by providing integrated healthcare services to pregnant and lactating women, along with enhanced cash support. The decision was taken during the second board meeting of the SSPA at the CM House on September 2.
SSPA CEO Samiullah Shaikh gave a detailed briefing on the programme’s current implementation and proposed expansion. Following the presentation, the CM approved the inclusion of Larkana, Sukkur, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Jamshoro, Dadu and Naushahro Feroze in the programme, which already operates in 15 rural districts.
With this expansion, pregnant and lactating women in 22 districts will now receive Rs41,000 in cash support over three years — up from the previous amount of Rs30,000. This assistance is aimed at ensuring proper maternal nutrition, promoting regular health check-ups and encouraging safe deliveries.
The programme is part of a broader Rs48.3 billion social protection initiative, of which Rs6.3 billion is being contributed by the provincial government. Launched in January 2023, the programme is scheduled to run until December 2027.
To date, 770,000 pregnant and lactating women have been registered at 800 health facilities across the province, including 740 centres operated by the Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative and 62 health facilities run by the health department. Eligibility criteria include being at least 18 years old, holding a valid CNIC and residing in the targeted districts.
The MCSP is built on a conditional cash transfer model, linking financial support to key maternal health milestones such as antenatal visits, institutional deliveries and postnatal care. The goal is to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and ensure better health outcomes for both mothers and children in low-income, underserved communities.
Based on population data and birth rate projections, an estimated 2.6 million pregnant and lactating women will live in the intervention districts over the programme’s five-year span. The government aims to reach 1.3 million women, representing 50 percent coverage of the projected eligible population.
The CM said that expanding the social protection delivery system is a major part of his government’s strategy to improve maternal health, reduce poverty and empower women, particularly in rural Sindh.
Published in The News on September 3, 2025.