The 20, 000 square kilometres (KM) Pakistan’s desert region Tharparkar is one of the poorest districts in Southeast Pakistan, Tharparkar is just at a distance of 300 km from Karachi. Tharparkar is home to malnutrition, infections, water shortage and lack of proper medical facilities. According to the health department, every year 1,500 children die due to malnutrition, infections and lack of proper medical facilities in the remote region named Tharparkar.
According to reports overall children death toll the region hits over 397 this year alone. While during the last few days it has risen following the deaths of seven infants who died as a result of the outbreak of viral diseases combined with the ongoing malnutrition factor. And more appallingly that currently over 70 children have been admitted in the hospital and health facilities in the district; the children were suffering from various infections. The lack of potable water, food and pollution of the inadequate resource of available water contributes to these diseases. According to doctors said that the reason of increasing number of deaths is because of the malnutrition and soaring temperatures.
The situation that has continued year after year while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is governing the province from last decades and also this time managed to retain its supremacy over Sindh’s political field, securing a simple majority in the provincial assembly. However, the horrible situation in Tharparkar is a big question mark on the efficiency of PPP.
Meanwhile looking into such a sudden increase in the deaths of children in the district Supreme Court constituted a commission to conduct an inquiry into causes of death of infants in Tharparkar district, where the level of malnutrition remains high. Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Gilgit-Baltistan Sanaullah Abbasi, who heads the commission, will submit a complete report regarding the deaths of children in Supreme Court.
The situation is so worst that the United Nation’s Children Fund also reported Pakistan as among countries with the highest infant mortality rates, with 22 infants dying before turning one month old.
Sindh government must immediately declare an emergency in the drought-hit Tharparker and begin the supply of food, water, medicines and other relief goods to provide aid to people who believe they are no longer able to survive where health facilities in the poor region are completely insufficient.
The horrible situation in Tharparkar is a big question mark on the efficiency of government.