HYDERABAD, Oct 25: Eminent paediatric experts have underscored the need for prevention of diseases among children because ratio of mortality among them is high on account of different ailments.
Saying that Sindh is faced with a huge problem of child survival, they added that polio eradication campaign should not be carried out at the cost of overall child healthcare.
The paediatricians from Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar were expressing their views at one day symposium on “Update of common paediatric problem”, at a local hotel which was jointly organised by Paediatrics departments of Liaquat University of Medicines and Health Sciences (LUMHS), People’s Medical College, Chandka Medical College and Ghulam Mohammad Mahar College.
Renowned paediatrician Prof Abdul Gaffar Billoo emphasised use of formula of zinc supplement and low osmolarity ORS as jointly recommended by UNICEF and WHO because in Pakistan the doctors are not prescribing it to children suffering from diarrhoea.
He said that as per WHO’s 2003 figures 1.5 million deaths take place due to diarrhoea adding that in Pakistan a 2002 National Nutrition Survey indicated that 42 per cent children suffer from zinc deficiency and 46 per cent from iron deficiency whereas 38 per cent are facing malnutrition.
“Yet neither government nor paediatricians are applying above mentioned formula for children although a child requires 20mg of zinc supplement during and after 10 to 14 days of diarrhoea”, he said. He said that diarrhoea is a traditional enemy and doctors must follow WHO’s guidelines. He said that PPA should advocate doctors about two new developments of zinc supplement and low osmolarity ORS.
Professor Zulfikar Bhutta spoke of serious issues faced by Sindh regarding child survival. He said that these are due to lack of healthcare services and poverty. “Mortality rate is high in every district while we seem to be only stuck-up in polio eradication. I think it should not be done at the cost of overall child healthcare”, he observed.
He said that nothing concrete was being done. According to him, 90 deaths on per 1000 live births take place and out of them 50 per cent are among neo natal while 25 percent each due to diarrhoea and pneumonia. Sharing details of his Hala and Matiari projects of diarrhoea and new-born babies, he said that a lot of things could be done. He said that paediatricians need to have put their mindset together to address such issues. “We can really reduce mortality rate among children”, he said.
Prof Anita Zaidi discussed rotavirus among children and advocated use of rota virus vaccine which she said is likely to be recommended by WHO for Pakistan next month. She said that 400,000-600,000 deaths take place in developing countries. She spoke of community based study which reveals that one child out of 40 dies at home whereas in hospital-based study, involving Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Karachi, prevalence of rotavirus was seen throughout year.
She said that out of around 7,000 children, 2040 were tested positive for rota virus which is around 30 per cent. She said that 100 deaths per 1000 live berths take place due to rota virus which is around five per cent and indicates that one out of 20 children falls prey to this virus.
She said that its vaccine was very expensive but WHO is likely to recommend it for Pakistan and then it might become part of Expended Programme for Immunisation (EPI). She added that Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI) has offered it for Pakistan at around 15 US cent.
Dr. Sajid Maqbool, Dr Shahnaz Ibrahim and other experts aslo presented papers.