THARPARKAR: Death toll of children due to malnutrition and epidemics in Tharparkar continues to climb as two more children expired in 24 hours, health department said on Sunday.
According to details, two malnutrition affected children aged one and four days respectively died at Mithi Hospital Tharparkar.
The recent deaths have taken the toll in the month of December to 39, while 638 children have died of malnutrition since January 01, 2018.
According to the health department, every year 1,500 children died due to malnutrition, infections and lack of proper medical facilities in the remote region.
A report released by the United Nation’s Children Fund in April in this year stated that Pakistan is among countries with the highest infant mortality rate, with 22 infants dying before turning one-month-old. Among these countries, eight are in Africa and two in Asia, including Afghanistan which is ranked third.
“Pakistan is the riskiest place to be born as measured by its newborn mortality rate,” the report stated. “A baby born in Pakistan is almost 50 times more likely to die during his or her first month than a baby born in Japan, Iceland and Singapore”.
INP