MULTAN, Jan 17 Over 300 ulema from the five districts of Punjab have decided to join a drive to ensure safety and wellbeing of mother and child.

Ulema expressed their determination to educate people about protecting the lives of women and newborns at a seminar organised by the National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF) on 'Mother and child health and the role of ulema' here on Sunday.

They favoured a resolution regarding raising awareness among the people about the alarming mortality rate of pregnant women and newborns in Pakistan.

Ulema from Jhelum, Vehari, Khanewal, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rawalpindi attended the seminar.Another resolution said the ulema would educate the masses under Islamic teachings to save the lives of child and mother, particularly of pregnant women and newborns.

The seminar recommended that the scope of the programme be extended to other Punjab districts as well.

The participants learnt that over 20,000 pregnant women died in Pakistan every year were not allowed to consult doctors during pregnancy. Over 300,000 newborns also die during and after their birth.

PAIMAN District Coordinator Dr Nasir Dilshad said one newborn died after every 20 minutes in Pakistan due to the negligence of parents.

Ulema also urged the masses to provide pregnant women medical facilities during pre- and post-delivery period.

The participants praised the role of the Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN) and the NRDF.

Maulana Syed Abdul Majeed Nadeem Shah, Mufti Hidayatullah Pasruri, Khwaja Nasrul Mehmood Fakhri, Maulana Muhammad Sharif Hazarvi and Dr Nasir Dilshad spoke.

Maulana Hazarvi said ulema would be held responsible if newborns mortality was not controlled.