THARPARKAR/KARACHI
Death toll in famine-hit Tharparkar District exceeded 200 after another five children died of malnutrition in Chachro tehsil, local media reported on Sunday.
However, the Sindh government contradicted the death toll and said 153 people have died in three months.
Chachro is among the areas where the Sindh government has not yet started relief operation. Dozens of children have been admitted in public and private hospitals of the district.
Several ministers and officials have visited the famine-hit areas but relief activities are still facing delay due to which the victims are being forced to move to other places.
Although the Sindh government has announced to kick start its relief activities, hundreds of affected families across the district are still awaiting food aid.
According to reports, the distribution work has not so far been started despite the fact that 60,000 wheat bags have arrived in Mithi, the district headquarters of Thar.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said on Saturday that the Punjab government had not offered aid.
The Sindh government has announced Rs 100 million food package for Tharparkar which is spread over 22,000 square kilometres with a population of about 1.5 million residing in 2,300 villages and urban settlements.
Thousands of families have been affected by the drought which compelled them to leave their homes and move to other areas in search of water.
The Pakistan Army, Sindh Rangers and various NGOs have set up their relief camps at Mithi‚ Chachhro‚ Nangarparker‚ Islamkot and Diplo.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)‚ the army teams are helping the people getting medical treatment and food. A field hospital has also been established.
Hyderabad Garrison General Officer Commanding Major General Inam is in the area to oversee the ongoing relief efforts, ISPR said.
Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain has directed Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad to provide every possible relief to drought-hit people in Tharparkar.
Separately, Tharparkar Relief and Rehabilitation Cell has been established at the Sindh CM’s House.
According to a statement, the CM’s principal secretary will head the cell. The cell will look after relief work and will report to the CM daily. The cell can be contacted on 021-99202051-4, 99202065, 99207568, 0800919-15 and on fax numbers 021-99202007, 99202008.
Separately, the World Food Programme and Sindh government jointly launched Rs 600 million project to assist around 348,000 children, pregnant and lactating women suffering malnutrition to prevent stunting and micronutrient deficiencies.
The project would help prevent stunting (chronic malnutrition), primarily focusing at children, pregnant and lactating women in selected union councils of Thatta and Sajawal districts of Sindh.
This will also contribute in reducing the incidences of low birth weight as maternal nutritional status of around 127,000 pregnant and lactating women will be improved.
According to the government survey, the food insecurity and the prevalence of malnutrition in Sindh was higher compared to other provinces.
During the launching ceremony, WFP Country Director Lola Castro handed over medical grade anthropometric equipment to Aslam Pachu, Sindh additional secretary health.
This equipment will be utilised for assessing the nutritional status of mothers and children and about 550 kits were handed over valued at Rs 21 million.
Addressing the launching ceremony, Castro emphasised that National Nutrition Survey 2011 estimates stunting prevalence in children under the age of five in Sindh at 49.8 percent and anemia levels at 72.5 percent, while anemia in pregnant and lactating women is estimated 60.7 percent.
She further stressed that there was an urgent need of addressing the problem at the earliest during the first 1,000 days of life “window of opportunity” (from conception up to the first 2 years) in order to break the intergenerational transmission of stunting.
She said the WFP was supporting the federal and Sindh governments in several initiatives, including the intervention for prevention of stunting and addressing micronutrient deficiencies in Thatta with a special focus on ‘first 1,000 days’ from pregnancy up to two years of age and children under 5.
Thatta and Sajawal are part of the 19 priority districts identified by the Sindh government to address malnutrition in children as well as pregnant and lactating women, Lola added. The districts are also ranked high in terms of food insecurity.
Meanwhile, National Disaster Management Authority spokesman Brigadier Kamran Zia urged authorities concerned to dispatch doctors and lady health workers to Tharparkar.
Talking to PTV, he said the NDMA has identified three most affected areas and relief camps have been set up in these areas.
He said that the NDMA has been provided flour, rice and other edibles to the people. A large number of affectees commuted to cities to admit their patients in city government hospitals, he added.
