An awareness campaign is imperative so that people can at least try to help themselves in emergency cases
BADIN: Currently, 1.5 million Thari people are facing grave difficulties. Infants and children are dying from malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and simply a lack of awareness on the part of those who can help them. Food and water are either scarce or contaminated. The closest basic health unit is too far for most residents. Due to a lack of health awareness among pregnant and lactating mothers, they suffer from improper diets resulting in severe anaemia, which can be fatal.
Government departments and NGOs are requested to set up medical camps in the remote areas of Thar where medicines as well as nutritious food and clean drinking water for infants and pregnant women should be made available. An awareness campaign is also imperative so that people can at least try to help themselves in emergency cases. Furthermore, spreading awareness on habits such as hand washing, using boiled water, and taking precautionary measures to protect oneself from mosquitoes are important as is low-cost healthcare access.
Shahid Ahmed Qureshi
Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2016.
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