Three more children starve to death in Thar as February toll hits 47

THARPARKAR: The toll of children dying for various reasons in Sindh’s Tharparker region continues to rise as three more children succumbed to malnutrition on Sunday. 

According to sources in the health department, the minors passed away in the past 48 hours, taking the death toll for February to 47 and 118 for the year.

The deaths reported by the local health department have said to be caused by malnutrition and other diseases in the area.

According to the health department, every year 1,500 children die due to malnutrition, infections and lack of proper medical facilities in the remote region.

A report released by the United Nation’s Children Fund in April 2018 stated that Pakistan is among 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 third.

“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.”