Concern voiced over children’s deaths in Thar

MN Report

Mitthi: Voicing concerns over increasing number of children’s deaths in Tharparkar, members of civil society attributed it to the government’s failure in providing basic health facilities in Thar’s remote villages.

Moreover, people carrying their ailing children to hospitals complained about a lack of proper medication, staff and other facilities while villagers regretted over unavailability of clean drinking water.

Meanwhile, Additional Commissioner Mirpurkhas, Nisar Ahmed Memon has said that human lives are precious and it is our national responsibility to protect them.

Presiding over a meeting to review medical relief activities being carried out by health department, PPHI, Hands, Thardeep, Shifa for identification of sick children and their shifting to referral centres for treatment, he directed assistant commissioner Mitthi, mukhtiarkar and revenue officials to visit health centres regularly and submit the report daily.

He warned the concerned officials to perform their duties diligently, or else those found guilty of serious dereliction of duty will be taken to task.

District Health Officer (DHO) Arjan Kumar informed the meeting that a total of 40 children lost their lives between Jan 1 and to date due to premature birth, pneumonia, sinus problems and other diseases.

Representative of different non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Hands, Thardeep and Shifa informed the meeting that their mobile teams were visiting daily to the heath centres and providing medical treatment, free medicine and transport to the patients.

Tharparkar’s deputy commissioner told the meeting that situation at Mithi’s Civil Hospital was under control as the government had taken prompt measures for provision of facilities in all health units of the district.

Tharparkar’s Deputy Commissioner Khuda Dino Shoro, Director (Social Welfare) Nathoo Khan Rahimoo, Assistant Commissioner Mitthi Ghullam Mohammmad Koreejo and assistant commissioner of four talukas and other concerned officials were present at the meeting.