The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Tuesday said health budget is being misused in Sindh which has resulted in increased child mortality. The infant mortality rate has increased from 74 per thousand live births in 2012 to 82 per thousand live births in 2014, which is alarming, it said.
Mortality in children under five years of age has increased from 92 per thousand live births to 104 which speak of the dismal healthcare situation in the province where rural areas are among the worst hit, said Dr Murtaza Mughal, President PEW. Talking to a delegation of developmental specialists led by Nasir Wajahat, he said that 200 children die in Sindh every day before reaching their first birthday, while sixty percent of the above die before completing the first month after their birth.
He said that 230 children die in Sindh every day before reaching their fifth birthday while situation in Punjab and other provinces is comparatively better than Sindh. The child mortality is on increasing trend in Sindh unlike other provinces where it is decreasing and the highest numbers of child mortality comes from Larkana and Sukkur divisions.
Dr Murtaza Mughal said that the nutritional deficiencies in children have increased or remained same through the last 4 years while the growth rate of population has increased from 3.9 to 4. He said that the number of skilled birth attendants is below the Pakistan average meaning less than other provinces except Balochistan while only 35 percent of children are fully immunised. Deteriorating indicators of health, education and population must be taken seriously.