CJP takes notice as malnutrition claims lives of five infants in Sindh's Mithi

Lack of facilities in hospitals and nearby areas termed major cause of deaths; toll rises to 64

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has taken notice of deaths of five infants at Mithi's Civil Hospital due to malnutrition and lack of facilities and told chief secretary to submit a report within 36 hours.

The development came after a report said the deaths had taken the toll this year to 64. It added that 11,000 ailing children were brought to six different health facilities in the Sindh district since the beginning of this year.

The report termed water crisis, lack of healthcare in the remote areas and hospitals as the main reason behind the deaths.

In February, a child rights advocacy group Sparc said 57 per cent of children under five in Sindh had stunted growth due to malnutrition, terming it alarming and worrisome.



Statistics clearly demonstrated the provincial government's obliviousness to addressing the child and mother health issues.

According to Dr Baseer Khan Achakzai, the director of the nutrition wing at the federal ministry of health services, "Among all other provinces, Sindh is spending the highest amount of money for addressing the malnutrition issues, but no significant improvement has so far been witnessed."

"In the province, the acute malnutrition rate has touched 23 percent, but no serious action has yet been taken," he added.