F.P. Report
THARPARKAR: Death toll of children due to malnutrition and epidemics in Tharparkar continues to climb as two more children expired, health department said.
According to details, two malnutrition affected children who were under treatment at Civil Hospital Mithi in Tharparkar expired during treatment. The recent deaths due to malnutrition/epidemics have taken the toll in the month of January 2019 to 14. As per report of the health department, every year 1,500 children die due to malnutrition, infections and lack of proper medical facilities in the remote region.
The United Nation’s Children Fund in its report issued 2018 had 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”.
