Thar crisis: Sindh govt blamed for poor healthcare

Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative says shortage of funds, staff not allowing them to perform their role adequately

MITHI: With the provincial government's health departments pointing fingers at each other for the crisis, the deaths of newborns and infants continue unabated, with five more children reported to have died in the district on Thursday.

Two newborn twins of Sodho Bheel died in Kaloi while another newborn child died in taluka hospital, Islamkot. A three-month-old child, Zubaida Khaskheli, and five-month-old Channu, son of Janu Meghwadh, died in private medical centres in Islamkot and Nangarparkar tehsils, respectively.

The death toll in the drought-affected district has risen to 124 since October 1. However, health officials do not confirm many of these deaths, especially the ones occurring in the villages.

The Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative's regional director, Riaz Rahujo, at a media briefing on Wednesday blamed the Sindh health department for the lack of health facilities in Tharparkar. "The PPHI has been blamed for the state of affairs, even though we cover only 21 per cent of Tharparkar," he claimed, while sharing details of the PPHI's responsibilities.

According to him, the PPHI is running 31 basic health units (BHUs) and 18 dispensaries with a small budget of Rs70 million, which also includes salaries. Meanwhile, the district health department is managing one district headquarters hospital, three taluka hospitals, two rural health centres, six basic health units, three mother and children healthcare centres, three Younani pharmacies and 165 dispensaries, out of which only 116 are functioning,.

"We are also dealing with shortage of staff," he claimed. In primary healthcare, he revealed, five posts of medical officers out of 33, one post of an ultrasonologist, four out of 10 female medical officers, 15 of 30 lady health visitors and midwives, one of eight technicians and three of 30 dispensers are vacant. Similarly, one post each of anesthetist, paediatrician, technician and female attendant and two of surgeons are vacant in the units dealing with secondary healthcare.

According to him, out of 37,619 children screened in Chachro and Nangarparkar tehsils by the PPHI, 2,442 were found to be suffering from severe acute malnourishment and 7,845 from moderate acute malnourishment.

Likewise, 3,505 pregnant and lactating women from around 13,448 of those screened were also malnourished to moderate acute level. Rahujo said that three mother and child healthcare centres are functioning in Tharparkar, claiming that five others will be opened soon.

He claimed he had written to the provincial government citing financial needs, vacant posts and other requirements of the PPHI. "We are not responsible for the health situation in Tharparkar. Many health units were shut when we started work in 2009."

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Asif Jameel announced on Thursday that 40,000 pregnant and lactating women will be given blankets and warm clothes for winter by the Sindh government. Four distribution points will be opened in each area of Tharparkar every day.

The health minister, Jam Mehtab Dehar, visited 10 health facilities in Tharparkar and inquired the patients and their attendants about the medical services being offered to them. The minister, however, did not share his findings with the media.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2014.