775 malnourished children hospitalized in Balkh last year

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok):  Hundreds of malnourished children were admitted in the civil hospital of northern Balkh province during the past one year, with 20 children losing their lives, an official said on Wednesday.

Dr. Abdul Rauf Frogh, a pediatrician at the Balkh Civil Hospital, said malnutrition resulted from poverty, drought, migration, lack of food and not administrating vaccines.

He said 775 children were admitted in the hospital for malnutrition and 20 of them died.  He said currently 41 malnourished children were admitted in the hospital and being treated free of cost with the help of UNICEF and World Health Organization.

Dr. Hamid, a trainee in the children’s ward of Balkh Civil Hospital, told Pajhwok Afghan News that when a child does not get the food he needs, he becomes malnourished and loses weight.

He cited poverty as the main cause of malnutrition and said when a family could not provide the child with the necessary food, such as milk, vitamin-rich food and other essentials, the child becomes malnourished.

Dr Syed Ali Rahmani, another specialist at the hospital, said that in recent times, children in many parts of the country have been suffering from malnutrition, mainly due to poverty.

According to him, poverty is the main cause of malnutrition besides consumption of unhealthy food and lack of vaccination. He urged joint efforts of the people and the government to prevent and combat the disease.

He called as important public awareness in the fight against the disease and asked the government to provide awareness through the media.

ma

Views: 66