The misery of the people of Tharparkar continues after an outbreak of measles and malnutrition killed five children in the impoverished area of Sindh.
According to sources, the latest casualties that took place at Mithi Civil Hospital had taken the total number of infant deaths in Thar district to 123 this year.
Talking to reporters, the parents of the deceased children said that measles and other infectious diseases had claimed the lives of their children. They alleged that the lacklustre attitude of doctors and the absence of vital drugs were the main factors behind the deaths.
The district health officer (DHO) and the hospital’s civil surgeon could not be reached for their comment on the issue, despite repeated attempts.
It is important to mention here that since last year, the local health authorities in Thar have refused to share details of deaths with journalists after the Supreme Court (SC) took notice of the deaths of children in large numbers.
On the other hand, in an attempt to provide respite to the people of Thar, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah approved transportation of free wheat to the area which would be distributed among 287,000 poverty-stricken families. Around 100 kilogrammes of wheat would be provided to each family.
The chief minister also directed the chief secretary to ensure that the wheat distribution was started immediately and completed by the end of April.
Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS) Chief Executive Officer Dr Shaikh Tanweer Ahmed said that malnutrition was still the primary reason behind the continuing deaths among children. He said that the Sindh government should make efforts to fulfil the nutritional needs of pregnant women to slash the number of fatalities among infants and mothers in the area.
