Plagued by drought: Death stalks Thar’s children as healthcare remains elusive

HYDERABAD/ MITHI:

The unrelenting drought spell, compounded by poverty, poor nutrition and lack of health facilities and awareness, continues to take its toll on the children of Tharparkar.

Only last month, health authorities confirmed the deaths of 27 infants and children under the age of five years. Unconfirmed reports, however, place this number closer to around three dozen.

In the wake of such reports, all efforts and claims of the provincial government have failed to control the spike in mortality. Around 213 children have died since May, this year alone. Most of the deaths have been attributed to the prevalent malnourishment in the desert region - which is experiencing its third year of drought.

Though health officials admit malnourishment is partially to blame, they contend that there are also other health factors. "Many of the deaths were caused due to premature births and pneumonia. Also, the families of these children bring them to the hospital when they are in very critical condition," argued Dr Abdul Jaleel Bhurgari, the district health officer of Tharparkar.



The provincial health minister, Jam Mehtab Dahar, who visited Tharparkar on Sunday, also claimed that the drought and malnutrition were not the only causes. "Civil Hospital, Mithi, is well-equipped to provide treatment to the children. Even the people from neighbouring districts bring their children here," he claimed before the media.

The health minister said that vigilance teams, comprising citizens, have been formed for every government hospital in Tharparkar's tehsils. "There is an urgent need to improve primary healthcare here," he stressed.

Meanwhile, the district administration has at last prepared a list of children who died during the four-month spell, till March this year. As many as 115 children have been confirmed to have died due to undernourishment. Their families will be paid Rs200,000 compensation against each death. According to the deputy commissioner, Asif Jameel, the list has been submitted to the provincial government.

He said that the second phase of the verification process regarding deaths from April to September will be initiated soon.

No respite

Meanwhile, a new born baby, son of Rano Bheel, died in Mithi's hospital on Sunday while two others were referred to Civil Hospital, Hyderabad.

According to paediatrician Dr Nand Lal, both the children suffer from malnutrition. He said that one of them, two-year-old Haider, son of Punhoon, who was suffering from a pulmonary infection, has been referred to Karachi. The other infant, son of Fareeda Khatoon, is under treatment.

Among the compensation list, 11 children were aged between one and five years, 48 between one year and 11 months and 46 were less than a month old.

While the report attributes the deaths to the drought, malnutrition has not been cited as the cause of these deaths which are mostly affected by pneumonia, septicemia, birth asphyxia, diarrhea, hemorrhagic fever and NN Sepsis. An overwhelming number of the deceased children belong to the villages.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2014.