Sindh CM directs health varsities to establish medical camps in Thar

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed all the public-sector universities in Sindh to set up medical camps in each and every taluka of Tharparkar as a short-term measure to save the lives of sick children owing to the drought-like situation and also called for exploring alternate employment opportunities to resolve the issue of food security.

He directed this on Friday while presiding over a high-level meeting, which was attended by eight provincial ministers, Chief Secretary Mumtaz, vice chancellors of different public and private sector universities, all concerned secretaries and officers.

Secretary Health Usman Chachar, briefing the chief minister, said that in 2015, around 398 children died in Thar while in 2016 as many as 479 children, in 2017 450 children and in 2018, the number had so far crossed the figure of 505.

Reasons of child mortality, according to Chachar, were pre-term/low birth weight, birth asphyxia, severe pneumonia, Neonatal Sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), acute malnutrition with complication, sepsis (under 5 years age) and diarrhea.

The chief minister said that despite making a huge investment in every sector, including infrastructure, water, health services, education in Thar they were still receiving news of infant and child deaths, which was quite painful and depressing. Therefore, he said, we have to make a holistic approach to resolve the issue for good.

He directed the health department to widely and properly implement mother health program in true letter and spirit. “Mothers should be healthy and well aware of the health issues such as nutrition, birth spacing, how to take care of themselves right from conceiving pregnancy to delivery and where to deliver the child and how to take care of the child,” he said and directed the health department to involve medical universities for which they had been requested.

The meeting was informed that during a recent survey in a remote area of Tharparkar, five women of a family, including an elderly woman, her daughter-in-law and three daughters, were found pregnant.

“This is the situation and that’s why I’m pressing for mother-child health program in which component of health education may also be included, if it is not there,” the chief minister said.

The rainfall data of Thar presented during the meeting showed that Mithi received 58mm rainfall in 2018 while it was 261mm in 2017, Islamkot received 24mm in 2018 and it was 337mm in 2017, Diplo received 51mm in 2018 and it was recorded at 379mm in 2017, Kaloi received 10mm in 2018 and it was 114mm in 2017, Chachro received 105mm in 2018 while it was 173 in 2017 and Nagarparkar received 40mm while it was 234mm in 2017.

At this, the chief minister directed Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Shah and Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah to review the Drought Mitigation Act and give a detailed presentation to him so that it could be implemented with necessary improvements. ‘I am of the view that Thar Commission or Authority be established to implement all the programs under one roof,” he said.

The chief minister was told that 167 dehs of Tharparkar were affected on account of untimely and inadequate rainfall during the monsoon season. Wheat relief has been given to 276,152 head of families in seven talukas of Thar at a scale of 50 kg. Some 116,713 families have received wheat till October 16, 2018. The Sindh CM was also told that there were 269 operational health facilities in Thar. They include one DHQ, three Taluka hospitals, two Rural Health Centers, 40 Basic Health Units, four Mother and Child Health Centers, 217 government dispensaries and two maternal homes. The chief minister directed the chief secretary to ensure implementation of family planning, MCH program, nutrition program and provision of clean drinking water by making all the closed RO plants functional. The chief secretary said that some 850 RO plants would be made functional by December 2018.

The chief minister was also informed that 18 small dams, including 10 from ADP and eight from PSDP have been completed at a cost of Rs2.583 billion and nine others in which seven are from ADP and two from PSDP are being completed at a cost of Rs1.2 billion. It was also told that work on 80 earthen ponds (Taraies) at Rs2.9 billion in six talukas was in progress. Of these, 24 are located in Mithi, 14 in Islamkot, 15 in Diplo, 15 in Nagarparkar, seven in Chachro and five in Dahli.

The rain water would be preserved in them. This water would facilitate the local population and their cattle for drinking purpose. The meeting was informed that 587 RO plants are working in different areas of Thar, installation of 247 RO plnts was in progress while 834 were to be installed by December 2018.

The chief minister was told that 726,602 animals had been vaccinated. At this the chief minister directed Livestock and Wildlife departments to provide fodder, treatment of animals and wildlife in the remotest areas. The chief minister said that his government was making important interventions for poverty reduction. Five goats and 10 hens are being distributed in each and every family in the remote areas and the programme to give benefit to 300 families. So far 256 families have taken benefit and 54 families have yet to receive it.

The agriculture department has completed 40 farmer field schools, 15 female farmer schools and 30 kitchen gardens. The chief minister also disclosed that the Social Welfare Department is launching conditional cash transfer progarmme for pregnant and lactating women. Under the programme, 2,300 women would be given conditional cash transfer of Rs1,500 for 13 visits to health facilities and Rs4,000 on time on safe delivery to each woman. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed all the provincial ministers to keep visiting all government facilities such as schools, health facilities, RO plants/water scheme in Thar of and on so that they keep performing. He also directed the health department to establish a health Information Management System not only for Thar but the whole of Sindh.