THIS is apropos your news report ‘Three children die in Thar’ (Jan 15). A rapidly-growing human population in Pakistan needs an increasing amount of food to sustain their livelihood. Children, particularly in Tharparkar, Balochistan and southern Punjab areas are facing serious threats of insufficient food, chronic hunger or condition of under-nutrition, meaning not getting enough calories to remain healthy.

An average person needs approximately 2,200 kilo-calories a day though this amount varies with gender, age and weight.

In children, under-nutrition can lead to improper brain development and lower IQ. In addition, a person lacking sufficient food calories is probably lacking sufficient protein and other nutrients. Children of Tharparkar are mainly facing a near-famine situation.

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 250,000 children in the world become blind every year because of Vitamin-A deficiency. Iron deficiency is also common. Lack of dietary iron is the major cause of anemia, but there are other causes, including malaria and parasitic diseases. An increase in the ingestion of iron-rich foods such as certain grains, herbs, vegetables and meat can reduce anemia.

Human beings eat a variety of foods, but corn, rice, wheat, meat and rye make up the largest component of the human diet.

The primary reason for under-nutrition and malnutrition is poverty which is not uncommon in Tharparkar, Balochistan and southern Punjab areas.

Malnutrition in children is particularly serious and if left untreated it is likely to lead to death.

Malaria-affected infants face higher than usual risk of infantile anaemia, subsequent malaria infection and death can occur during the early years of life.

A great responsibility lies with the government to provide food supplements to affected population of the country and also provide them rations with rich vitamins and minerals.

Habib Laghari
Canada

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2017