THARPARKAR: The death toll during the last 72 hours in drought-hit Thar has hit 13 after six more infants died on Tuesday, according to a media report.
It was further stated that doctors at the Mithi Civil Hospital said that the recent wave of mortalities was due to an outbreak of water-borne diseases, malnutrition and other health complications.
According to health officials, the deaths reported in the past three days have led the death toll for the current year to cross the 600-mark — a four-year high.
According to the provincial health secretary, “450 children had lost their lives in 2017, while 479 had passed away in 2016 and 398 in 2015.”
The Sindh government was asked to devise long-term plans and policies in order to tackle the problem in the future.
Earlier, according to the health department, it was reported that around 1,500 children die due to malnutrition, infections and lack of proper medical facilities in the remote region every year.
A report released by the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNCF) in April stated that Pakistan is among the countries with the highest infant mortality rates, with 22 infants dying before turning one month old.
Among these countries, eight are in Africa and two in Asia, including Afghanistan, which is ranked at number three.
“Pakistan is the riskiest place to be born as measured by its newborn mortality rate,” the report stated. “A baby born in Pakistan is almost 50 times more likely to die during his or her first month than a baby born in Japan, Iceland and Singapore.”