KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah, responding to reports forwarded to him about the plight of drought-hit people of Thar on Sunday, ordered measures to expedite interventions and help ease grievances of the sufferers.
As per the report despatched to him by of Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner Asif Jameel, 116 children were brought under emergency conditions to local health facilities of whom four could not survive while rest admitted to relevant wards and being provided with needed assistance.
The deaths of children were cited to be reported by the Medical Superintendent Civil Hospital Mithi and attributed to multiple diseases.
Those who expired included a baby boy (twin-II) S/o Ramsingh of Village Mamchero UC Virawah Taluka Nagarparkar, born pre-term in Civil Hospital Mithi with a weight of 1.6 kg.
The second expired child was Fayaz Ahmed of Village Sobhiyaar, Taluka Diplo, born with birth asphyxia complain at BHU Malanhore Veena. The child was admitted and given treatment but could not survive.
Baby boy Ibrahim, delivered by a traditional birth attendant in his Village Paneli, Taluka Diplo weighing 2.9kg was brought in gasping condition at the hospital with complaints of Birth Asphyxia and Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
A baby girl with a very low birth weight of 700 grams was born at Civil Hospital Mithi under severe respiratory distress and expired despite giving appropriate health cover.
Further, 25 other children brought to hospitals with serious conditions were fortunate enough to recover as they responded to treatments.
The chief minister instructed the concerned officials to intensify awareness campaigns related to symptoms of the disease, urgently required interventions coupled with the importance of family planning among the people of Tharparkar, particularly those living in far-flung areas.
He was also shown a report related to livestock status and that the concerned department has set up veterinary camps in eight different villages pertaining to varied talukas.
Four of these were mentioned to be in Islamkot, three in Chachro and one camp each in Mithi, Diplo and Nagarparkar.
In these camps, 117 animals were treated and 4,683 others were vaccinated.
With regard to relief work, he was intimated that free of cost distribution of wheat was in progress across the district. Till date, each of the 247,274 families was said to have received wheat bags, each weighing 50 kilograms.
Around 266 newly registered pregnant and lactating women of Kaloi taluka were provided family ration bags at their doorsteps.
The Sindh government’s initiative to distribute fodder to livestock owners was reported to have been accelerated in taluka Islamkot and around 1,505 cattle owners were provided fodder package, comprising 50-kilogram Vanda Feed and 25 kg Rice Polish.
Of these, 931 cattle owners were said to be from Khankhanhar Rahim Ali, Khankhanhar Bajeer, Maru Mosepoto, Rana Tarai and Kheto Dhani of UC Islamkot.
The distribution was said to be personally supervised by the commissioner of Mirpurkhas division.
