February 11, 2002	Monday	Ziqa’ad 27, 1422

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MITHI, Feb 10: Shortage of doctors and poor health services have led to dozens of deaths in Tharparkar district during the last three months, reveals a survey conducted by this scribe.

Only 100 doctors are working against 231 sanctioned posts at 98 hospitals/dispensaries in the district and only five women medical officers are working here against 37 sanctioned posts, according to the survey.

Some dispensaries are working without budget for last couple of years whereas about 83 BHUs/hospitals do not have electricity.

Eighty per cent of the functional health units have no cold storage facility.

Reports indicate that though a good number of ailing Tharis and particularly children expired during the last few weeks in several villages but the Health department officials are trying to show a minimum figure of deaths in the official record.

The district Nazim has sought a report from the local health department administration, however, they could reportedly not compile the exact statistics in this regard.

Meanwhile, according to the initial report submitted by the EDO, health to the authorities, five ailing children— Zohra, Zahida, Zainab, Imam and Taj Mohammad— expired in village Jado Joyo, Nagarparkar taluka, in the last two months, whereas 27 patients including 11 children died in the Civil Hospital, Mithi, during the last three months.

According to the sources belonging to a health project, 17 children expired at 13 BHUs in Jan 2002.