Villagers report death of five children within a week in different villages; DHO Jamshoro says 10 deaths were reported since December last.
By Allah Bux Khushik
Dadu
Two brothers died of an undiagnosed disease in village Khan Muhammad Mallah of Manchhar Lake on Sunday. The children were identified as Muhammad Mallah and Hussain Mallah, 4-year and 3-year of age respectively.
Sughra Mallah, mother of children told Sindh Courier that her two sons died as they could not get treatment.
According to her five children died in different villages of Manchhar Zero-Point area within a week but health teams didn’t turn up for their children’s treatment.
She said that it is constituency of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah but the villagers are deprived all basic facilities.
She said that discharge of saline water in Manchhar Lake, fish catch has decreased, while 20 RO Plants were non-functional. “We are deprived of all the basic facilities as well as livelihood and as result our children are dying but no one is ready to help us,” she said.
Ms. Sughra appealed to Sindh High Court Chief Justice to take serious notice of children’s death and direct the health minister to provide health facilities to Manchhar Lake fishermen.
It may be mentioned that it was aired on local TV channels that 15 children died of measles in various villages of Manchhar Lake.
District Health Officer Jamshoro Dr. Vanood Kumar speaking to Sindhi Courier said that it was reported that from December to date some 10 children have died of undiagnosed diseases in various villages of Manchhar Lake area.
DHO said that Khan Muhammad village of Manchhar Lake, where two children have died, falls in Union Council Channi of Dadu district and not in Jamshoro district.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Health Officer Dadu Dr. Amjid Hussain Mastoi said that teams were sent to Manchhar villages for diagnosing diseases of children.
Dr. Amjid Hussain said that residents of Manchhar villages are refusing vaccine during anti-measles drive. He said that a free medical camp was established at the embankment of Manchhar Lake. He said that malnutrition cases were found in babies of Manchhar Lake but death cases were not reported. He said that Manchhar Lake inhabitants are getting treatment from un-registered doctors.
Director General Health Sindh Muhammad Juman has taken notice of Manchhar Lake children’s death and has directed DHO Jamshoro and DHO Dadu to provide basic health facilities to Manchhar residents and submit report of actual number of death of children.
________________
