Five infants die in Larkana hospital due to lack of oxygen supply

E-Paper | July 30, 2026

KARACHI: At least five infants died on Saturday in the Chandka Medical College Hospital children's ward in Larkana due to lack of oxygen supply.

Four infants were said to be new-born babies whereas one was said to be a two-year-old.

Medical Superintendent for Chandka Hospital told Dawn that a budget had been allotted to the hospital by the provincial government of Sindh but the bill had not been officially passed. As such, the hospital had run out of oxygen which resulted in infant deaths.

Last month, a number of infant deaths were reported in Sargodha's District Headquarters Teaching Hospital because of insufficient medical facilities, lack of oxygen supplies, incubators and alleged negligence of doctors. The Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of the infant deaths.

Take a look: SC takes suo motu notice of infant deaths

This year’s federal budget had allocated Rs26.8 billion to the health sector. The allocation is slightly more than last year’s Rs25bn.

The Sindh government had allocated Rs43.58bn to health, which represented an increase of 20pc over the last year’s budget.

Examine: Health spending

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Sunil

Dec 13, 2014 01:41pm

Where is the ministry of health? Did the central government allot funds for the hospital, and if , probably mismanaged.

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M Junaid Khan

Dec 13, 2014 01:53pm

Will Sindh and Central government take responsibility for all these deaths of innocent souls. Why is our whole nation silent on such negligence? When we will start valuing the lives of the children of poor people just like our own? These deaths will not go in vain and each and everyone in the government is responsible for it and blood is on their hands.

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A Pakistani

Dec 13, 2014 01:59pm

And they still vote PPP.

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mansoor

Dec 13, 2014 02:05pm

Lack of Oxygen alone has never been the cause of death nor could have saved any of these lives. Malnorished teenage mothers giving births to under weight pre mature babies is the cause and to ractify that monster, mindset need to change not oxygen.

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Akashvani

Dec 13, 2014 02:10pm

Its so sad that these things are common on both sides of border..no value of human life..

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imran ali

Dec 13, 2014 02:10pm

@sunil....the hospital is under Sindh govt...central govt.has no role....25% of the budget given to the big hospital for direct purchase of medicine and other items on emergency basis .....

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omer khan shaheen

Dec 13, 2014 02:27pm

I see, a life time jail term, for a large number of senior health and federal administration officials in the near future for all the right reasons and justice!

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omer farooq

Dec 13, 2014 02:39pm

@mansoor Lack og oxygen DOES cause deaths if any undrrlying condition causes abnormal lung gas exchange. Please don't speculate without knowledge.

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Ample reverence for Saudis

Dec 13, 2014 03:00pm

@imran ali And who will monitor?

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Han

Dec 13, 2014 03:12pm

More money on health care and less on the military.

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bestforall

Dec 13, 2014 03:31pm

amazing...why not mr zardari sell out his estate in foreign country and build a hospital such imran made.

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Akram

Dec 13, 2014 03:38pm

someone needs to be fired for such incompetence.

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imran ali

Dec 13, 2014 03:44pm

@Han.....it depends how the budget for health are utilized...bulk of money are used for unnecessary purchasing where there is more kickback for health official...the post of purchasing officer is sold to higher bidder .there was a health secretary purchased a lot of incubators and ultrasound machine...to empty the main store these machine was supplied even to PHC,by now it must have rusted

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Parvez

Dec 13, 2014 03:45pm

........and USD 16 million is to be spent for a new helicopter by the Sindh CM.

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kashif

Dec 13, 2014 04:26pm

Unless this corrupt system is replaced, nothing is going to change.

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M.M.Sherazi

Dec 13, 2014 04:26pm

PTI should re-divert the wasting of financial resources on processions and protests to such underdeveloped areas of Pakistan to help saving such innocent lives....

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Tarar

Dec 13, 2014 04:39pm

shame shame on Provincial as well as Federal govt

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Dec 13, 2014 04:48pm

Very sad news and negligence on the part of authorities. Why they have not arranged such essential item or transferred the patients to other hospital ? Strict action is required against defaulter.

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rajeev

Dec 13, 2014 04:57pm

This shoudn' t have happened.

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S.Rehman

Dec 13, 2014 05:01pm

@M.M.Sherazi Absolutely this is all PTI's fault!

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zeeshan

Dec 13, 2014 05:11pm

Qaim Ali shah should be provided latest model chopper on urgent basis to rescue these children. Thanks to PPP and PML N for providing the basic needs of health, education, justice and thanks to the ignorant people for electing these thugs again and again.

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M.M.Sherazi

Dec 13, 2014 05:16pm

@S.Rehan............. It is not a matter of fault, it is a constructive suggestion, PTI Leadership should conduct surveys in the areas adjacent to the chosen city for demonstration and try to solve at least one major problem in that area to be announced during main speech of the Leadership and get donation appeals launched, so that people can feel some change that is being vowed through such mass demonstrations and strikes..............

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WASEEM

Dec 13, 2014 05:20pm

@imran ali NS is the PM of whole Pakistan .He has to accept responsibility.If a power plant is established in Karachi he takes credit so why not the responsibility .This government both PPP and PMLN should be held responsible and no body else .Our Supreme court will remain silent as they are under pressure from sitting govt.

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zeeshan

Dec 13, 2014 05:21pm

@M.M.Sherazi yes brother PTI should take care of the whole country. They should go to Thar, they should take care of the IDPs who came from FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas), they should fight for people's rights. Because the real rulers are busy in looting the country.

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WASEEM

Dec 13, 2014 05:22pm

Sindh govt. has 16 m Dollars for Helicopter but no money for Oxygen.Only God can check them.

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Abbas Ali

Dec 13, 2014 05:22pm

The budget in Sindh ends up in the pockets of syeds, makdhums, shahs, etc.

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Ganga Din

Dec 13, 2014 05:27pm

Always blaming others and trying to pass the buck. Oxygen has nothing to do with it. Prematurity and growth restriction are causing all this.

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Jatoi

Dec 13, 2014 05:30pm

@M.M.Sherazi I agree. If it weren't for PTI, Qaim Ali Shah would not have wasted 16 million USD on helicopter. Are you Bilawal using a fake name?

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WASEEM

Dec 13, 2014 05:39pm

@S.Rehman Yes ,My dear Sleeping Pakistani ,This is the job of IK to provide oxygen to sindh hospitals and not of Sindh govt. or Federal govt.What sindh health minister and federal minister for health are doing .All Health officials should go home and then call IK only then he will show how this sector is managed. Wake up My dear Rehman .Bhutto ZInda Ha ok Now u are happy.

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Qamar

Dec 13, 2014 06:09pm

Sindh government is committing crimes against humanity through its bad governance and corruption. Where is the 'emotional' Bilawal who shouts at the top of his voice in government sponsored jalsa.

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Fahad

Dec 13, 2014 06:11pm

Pakistani authorities prevented five potential future jihadists. Yay!.......

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adil jadoon

Dec 13, 2014 06:16pm

@Sunil health depths are managed at the provincial level now, if course thanks to the ppp govt in Sindh people die everyday.

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adil jadoon

Dec 13, 2014 06:16pm

@omer khan shaheen keep dreaming

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adil jadoon

Dec 13, 2014 06:18pm

@M.M.Sherazi So PYI is responsible for the poor performance of Singh govt. You get what you voted for.

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adil jadoon

Dec 13, 2014 06:20pm

@Ganga Din empty o2tanks don't help. Also studies actually showed a drop in infant mortality when Musharraf was king and corruption partly checked. How do you explain that?

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adil jadoon

Dec 13, 2014 06:22pm

This is not just Sibdh's problem. I have seen people die when thevo2 cylinder runs out in major hospitals in rawalpindi and no one thinks twice about it. There is rampant corruption. Our leaders are a reflection of us.

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Dec 13, 2014 06:29pm

R.I.P.

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Siren

Dec 13, 2014 06:39pm

Sad to see that both India and Pakistan competing the dark side of life. India is bit opmistic that Modi government will do some magic trick. In Pakistan its difficult to identity Modi like strong leadership. Let's invite army, at least they are ten times honest than civilian.

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M.M.Sherazi

Dec 13, 2014 06:40pm

PTI has been enlightening the rays of hopes in the recent past, the party has been very positive except some self-centered seasonal politicians joined recently....now things are being projected in a different way....democracy the game of usurping powers and privileges........

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A. Mangal

Dec 13, 2014 06:46pm

It's very tragic indeed! Why PPP lead government could not provide oxygen at the Larkana hospital? Starvation deaths were also reported in Thar yet Roti, Kapra aur Makan remains hollow promise of this party and leadership. Not long ago in that very same city of Larkana, crown prince Bilawal spent millions of rupees celebrating Sindh cultural festival but their goverment's health department could not supply oxygen!

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Fawad

Dec 13, 2014 06:46pm

They are busy buying a 150 crore Rs luxury helicopter for provincial disaster management.

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Key Points

Dec 13, 2014 06:47pm

Hospital must be run by ghamar & chughad administrator and careless medical doctors. No accountability. No wonder Pakistan is going down, down and down. Politicians having good time laughing all the way to the bank.

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Mohammad Iqbal

Dec 13, 2014 06:51pm

CM ordered for an Italian helicopter worth 16 million dollars for his safe loitering in sindh

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A. Mangal

Dec 13, 2014 07:09pm

@mansoor . Contrary to your statement I must cite a fact out of history pages when in 1933 for the first time in USA at Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago, incubators were introduced where premature, sick babies were placed in Incubators fitted with "OXYGEN" saved those babies. Please do not propagate ignorance which is curse to human civilization! By the way, incubator was the brainchild of Dr. Martin Couney, a specialist in the care of prematurely born infants, the baby incubators were shown at fairs and other exhibitions throughout the world at that time. And the rest is "history"!

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ali

Dec 13, 2014 07:12pm

And the CM wants the helicopter for himself. What a shame

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Ayoub Hassnain Larkana

Dec 13, 2014 08:45pm

Malnutrition is the main cause of death, but it is duty of govt to provide basic needs according to situation. Parents are also responsible for it due to poverty and ignorance with dirty atmosphere, it they birth babies then this position can be handled with cooperation of govt.

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Azmat

Dec 13, 2014 09:42pm

They will still vote to ensure Bhutto Zinda hai.

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Jalbani Baloch

Dec 13, 2014 10:56pm

'Hujaee nano ta ghum Larkano' if you have the money, then visit Larkana. That's one of the most popular sayings by which Larkana has been famous right from its existence. But unfortunately this city, which elected two Prime Ministers, is today in a state of shambles. No one cares for Larkana, and it really looks like Moen-Jo-Daro. But now there are no Bhuttos, PPP will have to loose a lot beyond its imaginations, whenever the next elections take place in the country.

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shoaibarif

Dec 14, 2014 01:32am

Where's the CM? Where's the ministry of health? They should have a murder case lodged against them.

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A. Mangal

Dec 14, 2014 01:49am

@mansoor. Have you ever heard about Incubator fitted with constant "Oxygen" supply where new born sick children are placed in it and chances for survival increases tremendously? Your null hypothesis of no difference about oxygen is rejected by my one cited example; therefore, oxygen supply in hospital setting does matter! Suggest stay away from ignorance!

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Shah

Dec 14, 2014 03:01am

This is a murder case and must be treated as such!

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Moby

Dec 14, 2014 05:07am

Give newborns a free laptop, that will fix the problem.

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Fazal Karim

Dec 14, 2014 05:37am

No matter what is their performance, Urdu speaking Sindhis and old Sindhis will continue voting for MQM and PPP respectively. The only way to make them responsible is to take out Mahajir and Sindhi competition at polls. This can be done bifurcating province in North Sindh and South Sindh with independent assemblies. Only then people of the two provinces will be able to make their representative accountable. I am sure there will be real progress in North Sindh and MQM will not be able to use Majir cause to cover up their mess. There will be no death of infants due to share negligence and if there is Chief Miunister will have to resign or people will throw him out at the election booth.

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syed wasim haider

Dec 14, 2014 09:20pm

Are we living in 1930s ? Does this hospital has a centralised Oxygen System? Are we matching our Healthcare system with any International Standard System? Who is going to take responsibility for all this? Seven mothers carried their babies in their womb for 7-9 months and then delivered in a Hospital for better care and what result they got. This is height of carelessness if the story is correct. If a daughter in law or daughter of any VIP then all the management of this hospital will take extra care but the victims were ordinary Pakistanis. Please wake up CM.

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syed wasim haider

Dec 14, 2014 09:49pm

@Han There is no transparency in purchases.

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