Growing problem: Two infants die as drought spectre hangs over Jamshoro

Relief efforts continue with wheat distribution.

KARACHI: Two more children died on Sunday in Tharparkar as another district, Jamshoro, prepares to declare parts of it as officially affected by the famine.

Both the deceased infants, who were admitted to the Mithi Civil Hospital, were less than a week old, according to Mithi Civil Hospital’s Dr Sahib Dino.

Around 175 deaths of children, attributed to malnutrition, have been reported in Tharparkar since December of last year. The official figures, however, are being quoted as closer to 100.

Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences paediatrics department head Dr Salma Shaikh says she expects a surge in the number of affected children as temperatures rise in the summer. “Food deficiency will make the children more vulnerable to the diseases,” said Dr Shaikh. Many doctors from university hospitals are working at the paediatrics ward in the Mithi Civil Hospital, where as many as 75 children are admitted in the ward.

Relief efforts

Although supply of wheat bags is yet to pick up, transporters have resumed the distribution process after boycotting it for a few days.

According to transporter Abdul Raheem Rahimon, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has given the assurance for payment of their arrears, which have accrued to Rs62.3 million.

“Our first round of talks with the deputy commissioner failed but later the chief minister took notice and assured us of payment,” he told The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, PPP’s Syed Mardan Ali Shah announced that 300 reverse osmosis plants will be built in Umerkot.

Officially hit by drought

The Jamshoro district administration has asked the Sindh government to declare parts of its Thana Bulla Khan and Manjhand talukas as officially hit by drought.

Jamshoro deputy commissioner Suhail Adeeb Bachani said he has personally visited these areas and had found that crops are badly damaged while a shortage of water has made life difficult for the people.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2014.