With over 60 children dying due to malnutrition and other related causes in the drought-prone district of Tharparkar in Sindh province, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a relief package of Rs. one billion during a visit there on Monday.
While health officials said 90 per cent of the deaths are due to pneumonia and other causes, there have been reports of wheat not reaching the communities in time. In addition, the health care system is dismal and there are few women doctors available.
Mr. Sharif attended a briefing in Mithi, the district headquarters, by senior government officials who spoke about the relief measures. The provincial government is giving Rs. two lakhs to the families of the children who died. It is distributing wheat, food, high-energy biscuits and bottled water to the densely populated area, which mainly survives on cattle grazing. The area receives very little rainfall and suffers from chronic drought. Every year children die due to various reasons and last year the figure was 196, according to reports.
The Inter Services Public Relations said relief teams of the Pakistan Army have reached the Mithi and Tharparkar area and have set up a field hospital and distributed food packs. Doctors and paramedics of the field hospital are trying to provide healthcare to the malnourished children and the sick at Diplo.
On the first day of relief operation, 10 tons of relief items were distributed and a total of 613 patients were treated at a medical camp. General Officer Commanding Hyderabad Garrison, Major General Inam is in the area to oversee the ongoing relief efforts. Panu Aqil and Karachi garrisons are also gearing up to reinforce relief activities with the help of civil society. Relief camps will also be established at Mithi, Chachhro, Nangarparker, Islamkot and Khinsar.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Tassaduq Jillani last week took suo motu notice of media reports saying over 100 children had died and had asked for a response from the Sindh government. The court heard the matter on Monday where a government official said most of the deaths were not due to malnutrition.
