While visiting Thar and other areas in my home province Sindh one can see sickly mothers mourning the death of their children under age five years. They die of severe malnutrition and other water-borne diseases.
Lamentably, tens of thousands of children are reported to be acutely malnourished in drought and famine–hit Thar and also in other areas in the Sindh province. Nothing of nutritional value is given to the mothers of malnourished children in Thar and in other parts of the province. Child mortality is highest amongst children born to illiterate and poor parents in the province. Malnutrition and water-borne diseases are threatening to kill millions of sickly mothers and their innocent children in the entire province.
There is, indeed, a chaotic situation throughout the province. Some where nurses, not doctors who are not available, give antibiotics and deworming medicines, and immunizations administered for tuberculosis and measles. The ongoing drought and famine may end in Thar but malnutrition and water-borne diseases may not.
In this heart –aching and mind –boggling scenario, it is proposed that concrete steps may be taken to promote integrate health, hygiene and nutrition among sickly mothers and severely malnourished children in the man –made drought and disasters-hit province. The UN bodies like WHO, UNICEF and humanitarian organizations such as The Save the Children, Rotary International, Qatar Charity, ICRC etc. should come forward and save mothers and children in SINDH province.
HASHIM ABRO,
Islamabad, March 11.