More than 5,000 residents, especially women, will have direct access to safe, clean and climate-appropriate healthcare
Access to reliable, climate-resilient health and sanitation services has become essential for communities along Sindh’s coastal belt, where poverty, heatwaves and recurrent flooding continue to put lives at risk.
To address this problem, the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF), with the support of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), inaugurated a series of sanitation and health infrastructures under the “Restoration of Social Services and Climate Resilience” in Garho and Bijoro union councils of Thatta district.
The facilities, including eco-friendly waiting areas, solar energy systems, medical equipment for women’s health and 60 toilets spread across five villages, are centered around the Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Garho. These facilities will directly benefit more than 5,000 residents, particularly women, by improving access to safe, clean, climate-appropriate healthcare.
Speaking at the inauguration, MP Sadiq Memon said: “Climate resilient infrastructure is the need of the hour. As climate change and poverty devastate coastal lives, strengthening health systems, sanitation and local infrastructure is crucial for a resilient and dignified future.
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He called the newly developed facilities a model of effective collaboration between communities, civil society and development partners, noting that climate-smart infrastructure protects the health and dignity of vulnerable populations.
SCF Executive Director Javed Hussain said the coastal region faces the harsh realities of climate change, with frequent disasters and health crises becoming the norm. “With support from PPAF, SCF has established climate-responsive health and sanitation facilities, built to operate in extreme weather conditions. These low-carbon, solar-powered structures, made from local, eco-friendly materials, ensure uninterrupted services,” he said.
He added that drainage trenches have been constructed around BHU Garho to combat flooding and waterlogging, thereby ensuring year-round accessibility. He stressed that public infrastructure should increasingly use local and natural materials to reduce carbon emissions and conserve biodiversity.
The ceremony was attended by Thatta Deputy District Health Officer Dr Rehana Yasmeen, Deputy Commissioner Ghora Bari Faraz Abbasi, Additional Director Social Welfare KB Bahrani, PPHI District Director Rehman Gul and others. Rehman Gul praised SCF’s efforts, saying solarized systems and sanitation programs would improve hygiene and ensure continuous healthcare, especially during night deliveries.
