Pains of women in disaster

Sunday, September 23, 2012 - Sindh province, in particular, the upper and lower regions have the alarming ratio of women dying due to pregnancy related causes. However, the present devastating monsoon rains triggered floods which have destroyed the fundamental infrastructure in the affected areas, have put the lives of tens of thousands of pregnant women under threat. Thousands of such women die needlessly every year in the remote and rural areas of Sindh because there are neither doctors no skilled manpower and not even necessary medicines in different hospitals, dispensaries or basic health or rural health units in the province.

While visiting different monsoon rains and floods affected areas I happened to learn about premature deliveries, miscarriages and new born babies delivered on the roadsides and having nothing to feed the suckling babies and their mothers. Believe me! I could witness several women dying in different worst affected areas. The Sindhi intelligentsia wants government to do something about the plight of pregnant women, among others, in the affected areas. The provincial and national relevant organizations and also mother and child caring international NGOs are appealed to assess the needs and provide relief materials to the victims in the worst affected areas at the earliest.

—Islamabad