‘Children in Thar dying of poverty, hunger’

SUKKUR: More than 23 percent children died in Tharparkar due to malnutrition of mothers as they suffer from starvation-like situation in the remote area, nutrition experts said.

The experts were addressing a seminar on “Program for Improved Nutrition in Sindh” at the Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam.The seminar discussed issues related to food shortages in Sindh and launching of diploma courses and preparation of curriculum on this respect.

During the seminar, important briefings were given by experts from the EU and Sindh government. Dr Ayesha Aziz, senior nutrition adviser EU, Mushtaq Ahmad Shahani, agriculture strategic adviser, and Muhammad Akbar Raza, livestock and agriculture strategic adviser, and others attended the seminar.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri said severe malnutrition, poverty and early marriages of girls are chronic problems leading to infant deaths. He said lack of nutrition in pregnant women was the major factor contributing to the declining health of children as they are rapidly losing their weight, height and mental health and become vulnerable to diseases.

EU’s senior nutrition adviser, Dr Ayesha Ahmed, said hundreds of thousands of children under the age of five have died due to malnutrition. She said that the Sindh Agriculture University in collaboration with the Health, Population Welfare, Education, Livestock, Fisheries and Social Sciences Departments will begin a diploma and degree programme.

Dr Jan Mohammad Marri, Dean, Faculty of Crop Protection, said Thar is the only area in Sindh where more children are dying due to malnutrition and poverty.

Prof. Dr Ismail Kumbhar underlined the need for national and international research in nutrition. He said that the problem of nutrition is directly related to the purchasing power and economic problems of the people.

Mushtaq Ahmed Shahani said that new curriculum and degree programme on health, nutrition, agricultural products and human development should be included in the public sector universities, so future generations can be protected from malnutrition.