KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was on Friday told that the number of children that had died during 2018 in the desert region of Thar was highest in past four years.
He said that the deaths took place because of various reasons, including pre-term/low birth weight, birth asphyxia, severe pneumonia, neonatal sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), acute malnutrition with complication, sepsis (under five) and diarrhoea.
The CM has asked public-sector medical universities to set up camps in the desert region The chief minister said that despite making huge investment in every sector in Thar “we are still receiving news of infant and child deaths which is quite painful and depressing for me, therefore we have to make a holistic approach to resolve the issue for good”.
The meeting was attended by vice chancellors of different public and private sector universities, eight provincial ministers, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah and others.
167 dehs affected due to less rains The chief minister was told that 167 dehs of Tharparkar were affected on account of untimely and inadequate rainfall during monsoon season.
Some 116,713 families have received wheat till Oct 16,” the meeting was told.
The chief secretary informed the CM that some 850 RO plants would be made functional by December.
The chief minister was told that 726,602 animals had been vaccinated.
“Five goats and 10 hens are being distributed in each and every family in the remote areas and the programme would benefit 300 families.
He also directed the health department to establish a health information management system not only for Thar but for whole Sindh.