Four babies succumb to undernourishment in Thar during last 24 hours
So far in the year 200 children have died under similar circumstances
November 16, 2017
BADIN: As deaths due to undernourishment in Sindh’s Tharparkar district continue to occur, four more children have died over the past 24 hours.
According to the health department, the deaths took place at Civil Hospital, Mithhi. The relevant officials said the deceased children included two newborns, one nine-day-old and another one-month-old.
So far, during November, 33 children have lost their lives under similar circumstances in government hospitals of the district, while the count is 200 for the current year.
Every two to three years Tharparkar is hit by severe shortage of food that results in malnutrition, disease and deaths. Since the most affected are pregnant women, they give birth to malnourished children.
Tharparkar is a district where chronic poverty and uneven distribution of food have left locals with a diet that lacks nutritional value. For instances, a section of the population survives on vegetables like onions and chillies with flatbread.
Subsequently, pregnant women give birth to children before time, who are underweight as well, doctors in the district say. Moreover, these children are either born with diseases or get hit by them.
Besides, water available to locals in wells has high level of sodium, which results in high blood pressure. A plan was made to set up 750 water plants in the district at a cost of Rs7.5 billion and 550 of them have been constructed. But water coming from the plants was not drinkable. There is also an issue of maintenance of plans, which is why, according to locals, 70% do not function.
