BADIN: There has been no let-up in children’s fatalities mostly being blamed on malnutrition and various diseases amid a lack of proper medical facilities at most health facilities in Tharparkar district, which has been faced with a drought-like situation for a few months.
Sources at major health facilities reported death of nine more children within the last 24 hours leading the toll over the past 14 days to 61 but the district administration and provincial authorities appeared not ready to accept that all or most of the deaths could have been avoided by ensuring proper health facilities and food supplies to the people of Thar.
According to the sources, one-year-old Sarfaraz Seenhrio died of pneumonia in Dilshad Seenhrio village near Chhachhro; an infant, Qasim Otho, and a newborn, Shakila, succumbed to their ailments in Nagarparkar; a newborn, Chandar Meghwar, died of some disease in a village near Chhachhro town; a newborn who was yet to be named by his father Mumtaz Bajeer died during treatment at a basic health unit in Dahli town; a sick baby just born to Somji Bheel died at a private hospital in Mithi; and one-year-old Azam succumbed to his ailment at the Mithi Civil Hospital Mithi on Thursday. The death of a minor boy in Mithi was reported late on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Thursday strongly condemned the “callous” attitude of Mithi Civil Hospital doctors for alleged “forcible discharge” of ailing children before the arrival of Sindh ministers Maula Bux Chandio and Nisar Ahmed Khuhro to the hospital a day earlier.
Mr Vankwani while talking to Dawn demanded a thorough inquiry against the doctors and other hospital staff involved in the matter.
He also condemned the “irresponsible” statements made by the ministers, MPA Dr Mehesh Kumar Malani and others at a public gathering held in Mithi late on Wednesday evening, saying that it was height of insensitivity on their part. Instead of healing the wounds of Tharis, they were making mockery of the tragic deaths, he said.
“I will send a report on the issues to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with a request to take notice of the situation,” he added.
Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2016
