A Beacon of Hope: How Public-Private Partnerships Are Transforming Child Health in Karachi’s Underserved Communities

A public-private health initiative in Karachi's urban slums has significantly improved child health outcomes by integrating immunisation and nutrition services and presents a roadmap for scaling up the model in other parts of the province. Launched in 2022 and funded by the Gates Foundation, the project focuses on the underserved slum areas with limited access to healthcare — especially preventive services such as routine childhood vaccination. It is a collaboration between the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, the provincial health department, Aga Khan University (AKU), and local communities. Dr Zahid Memon, Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at AKU and Project Lead, noted, “This initiative proves that when public and private sectors unite with communities, we can dismantle barriers to healthcare. By integrating immunisation and nutrition services, we’re building a resilient health ecosystem.”