Monday 21 March 2011

MALNUTRITION: Pakistan: Malnutrition coupled with preventable ailments as malaria and chickenpox have emerged as the major contributors to death among children, below five years of age

March 17, 2011 : Karachi
Malnutrition coupled with preventable ailments as malaria and chickenpox have emerged as the major contributors to death among children, below five years of age, said Dr Abdul Wahid Khaskheli of Sindh Programme on Integrated Management of Neonatal Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI).
He was addressing the participants of an ongoing 11 days IMNCI workshop for primary healthcare workers, including warders and paramedics serving at wards and outpatients departments of different hospitals.
The event has been jointly organised by Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and World Health Organisation “Approximately 10 million children die every year and 70 per cent of them die of malaria or chickenpox and above all malnutrition that is the root cause of all ailments,” said the paediatrician.
Dr Khaskheli with considerable experience of working in the remote parts of Sindh said that mortality rates among children up to five years of age were rising in the country.
Timely diagnosis and cure of the diseases can arrest the avoidable deaths, he said.
The IMNCI course initiated for primary healthcare workers, he said was meant to improve their knowledge and skills.
“Capacity building of these grass-root level workers to identify and manage neonatal and childhood illnesses will strengthen the health system,” said the expert.
He said that equal emphasis during the 11 days training would be to enhance the role of primary healthcare workers in improving the family and community practices.
Dr Khaskheli said that there were many ongoing programmes on child health but IMNCI was based on a comprehensive approach covering all aspects of child health.
Prof. Saleem Ilyas, Director, Professional Development Centre-DUHS, said that the second 11-day Integrated Management of Neonatal Childhood Illness (IMNCI) Course would also focus to turn clinical sciences more community oriented through active involvement of health workers serving the majority at first level of medical care.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=36537&Cat=4&dt=3/17/2011

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