‘Climate change main cause of drought in Sindh’

SUKKUR: Sincere and concerted efforts are needed to tackle malnutrition in vulnerable areas, including Thar. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Thardeep Rural Development Program (TRDP), Dr Allahnawaz Samoo, said the malnutrition in the recent years has claimed lives of thousands of children of Tharparkar.

Dr Allahnawaz Samoo said it is high time to invite the national and international organizations to visit the drought-hit areas of Thar. He said there are a number of factors behind the recurring drought but climate change is the most significant one.

Dr Samoo said people in Sindh don’t get due share of what they grow and therefore suffer from poverty and malnutrition. He said the successive governments have never focused attention towards drought and its causes.

He said the governments must be brought under pressure to draft effective policies to tackle this serious problem. The malnutrition contributes by 45 per cent to death of children under-five years of age. The current malnutrition in Pakistan is estimated to cost three per cent of GDP per year.

Aliya Habib, Project Manager SUNCCSA Pak, Nutrition International, said malnutrition is leading to stunting, low weight at birth, and micro nutrient decencies. Aliya said in rural areas, there is a pressing need to educate and bring awareness to women about the health of pregnant and lactating mothers as well as addressing their dietary requirements which is a threat to both the mother and the child.

She said in order to overcome malnutrition, breastfeeding is necessary for the first 1,000 days between pregnancy and a child’s second birthday.She observed that early marriage could also be the cause of malnutrition because girls under 18 years of age are not physically fit to give birth to a healthy child.

Kirshan Sharma, a right activist from Thar, lamented that the Sindh government is only supplying wheat among the population instead of addressing other underlying causes. He said malnutrition in Thar is a multifaceted issue, which requires the special focus from all quarters.