Thar death spell: Two infants die at Mithi Civil hospital

The deaths take the toll since December to over 170.

HYDERABAD:

As the death spell continues in Tharparkar, two more infants died in Civil Hospital, Mithi, on Saturday taking the toll since December to over 170.

Dr Sahib Dino identified one of the deceased as three-month-old Bhagat Kolhi, whose parents belong to Diplo taluka, and three-month-old Ladaan Bajeer, who died on way to the hospital from Islamkot taluka. At least 68 children are admitted in the hospital’s 40-bed paediatrics ward. “Almost all the children who died at the hospital were brought only when the chances of their survival from the critical illness were very low,” Dr Dino said.

The local people and the civil activists attribute these deaths to the malnutrition in children and in mothers of newborns. However, the health officials link the mortality to illnesses, such as pneumonia and blood infection.

As many as 50 children from Tharparkar were referred to Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, since the beginning of March. According to Dr Nasir Ali at the hospital’s paediatrics ward, eight of them have died while eight others were referred to Karachi. At  least 15 of the children are currently admitted.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2014.