18th national paediatrician conference starts today

Experts from more than five countries to participate

KARACHI: The 18th national three-day paediatrician conference will begin today (Friday) in Sukkur, said National Institute of Child Heath (NICH) Director Professor Jamal Raza, while addressing a press briefing at the institute on Thursday.
"In Sindh, more than 40% children are malnourished as their mothers are malnourished," said Prof Raza. He said malnutrition is a complex issue which needs to be resolved by all stakeholders.



Sukkur has been chosen as the venue for the conference to attract doctors from upper Sindh, lower Punjab and Balochistan, he added.
The event will be inaugurated by opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah and representatives from the United Nations Children's Fund and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation will also participate.
According to Prof Raza, experts from more than five countries will participate in the conference and conduct sessions on different specialties of paediatrics for doctors.

 "The infant mortality rate has improved from 126 to 53 in past the two decades," said Dow University of Health Sciences Assistant Professor Khalid Shafi.
Shafi added that rotavirus vaccine will be provided free-of-cost in a few months by the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation. Parents must get their children vaccinated to protect them from diarrhoea, he advised.