Ghor: 17 children lose lives to malnutrition

FEROZKOH (Pajhwok): Health officials have voiced concern at the increasing number of malnourished children in western Ghor province.

This comes as a number of citizens are complaining about the lack of medicine and adequate equipment in health centers of the province.

Officials said 17 malnourished children had died and more than 300 others had been under treatment in the first six months of the current year.

Meanwhile, health officials say they are in contact with the centre to address the problems, including shortages of medicine and equipment at health centres.

Malnutrition cause for concern

Dr. Musa Ulfat, a pediatrician at the main provincial hospital, expressed his concern at the rising number of malnourished children.

In the first six months of the ongoing year, about 17 malnourished children in Ghor have died and more than 300 others received treatment.

He added: “This year, the number of children suffering from malnutrition in Ghor has increased, because of hunger and misery. Many such children are hospitalised.”

He warned the number of malnourished children could increase if proper attention was not paid to the economic situation of the people.

Victim families seek urgent assistance

Maryam, 34, whose one-year-old child has been malnourished, said her child admitted in provincial hospital for nearly 15 days.

She added that poverty cause her child to this disease.

"We had nothing to eat. when I was pregnant, her father went to Iran to work, but he has been deported. Many times, we even slept hungry. At last, my child got sick and when a took my child to the doctor and he told me that he was malnourished, he added.

Currently, since the health of the child has improved, his mother was urging charities and the government to provide such families with emergency food assistance.

Zarmina is another mother who has been in hospital for 20 days with her three-year-old child.

She called on donor agencies and the government to provide emergency food aid to needy families to save their children from death.

Ghulam Farooq, who had brought his child to the Ghor Civil Hospital, said: “I have to buy medicines from the market because they say that they have no funds to provide medicine.”

Patients at this hospital criticise the lack of medicine and other facilities, saying they buy the medicines their patients need from the open market.

Talks underway with centre

Maulvi Ihsanullah, public health director, told Pajhwok: “Unfortunately, seasonal diseases, malnutrition, the coronavirus and other ailments are spreading in Ghor. The number of patients is increasing and I understand there are problems.”

The director hastened to add: “We have sent people to Kabul to bring Ghor the necessary facilities and materials. On the other hand, we have shared the problems with World Health Organization and asked for cooperation.”

According to the official, poverty, unemployment and closure of health centres are the main reasons for the soaring number of malnourished people in Ghor.

sa/mud