Call for revival of child protection committees at hospitals

Abused kids are severely stressed and need urgent assistance, says child rights activist

KARACHI: Senior paediatrician and child rights activist Prof Ayesha Mehnaz urged authorities on Monday to urgently revive child protection committees (CPC) at the public sector hospitals of Sindh.

The committees were earlier constituted in no less than eight hospitals across Karachi and one each in Larkana and Sukkur, the paediatrician said, adding that they were meant to provide specialised assistance to children subjected to abuse, in one or the other form.

"Abused kids are severely stressed and need urgent assistance [or else they] cannot be safeguarded against personality disorders," said Prof Mehnaz, who is also the chairperson of a non-governmental organisation, Konpal, which works for the protection of children against torture and abuse. She added that the CPCs comprised a psychologist, child specialist, social welfare officer and medico-legal officer to ensure timely medical assessment of the victim but also prompt and efficient intervention coupled with action against culprits.



"A holistic approach was adopted to safeguard physical, emotional, social and legal wellbeing of the affected children," she said. Prof Mehnaz claimed that CPCs existed a few years ago, however, despite a great deal of efforts by the medical community, they were lying dormant at present due to lack of interest on part of the administration.

Lamenting the lack of psychological treatment to the child abuse victims, the paediatrician said, "Traumatised child victims of varied categories of abuse are no longer provided with essentially needed assistance and support". She emphasised that all sections of society must realise that child abuse, whether it is physical, sexual or emotional, severely affected the healthy growth of children.

Prof Mehnaz regretted that the issue of child abuse was not a high priority for those who were at helm of affairs. She urged all segments of society to build pressure on the authorities for the revival of CPCs.



She was of the view that no extra financial resources were required to run such committees. According to her, what was needed was to streamline professional obligations of doctors, psychologists and other relevant professionals associated with the CPCs.