Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal has presented alarming statistics on child and maternal mortality in Pakistan in the National Assembly, stating that around 400,000 children die every year between the ages of one and five. This amounts to approximately 1,300 child deaths every day, he said, adding that a large number of these deaths could be prevented through effective medical interventions.
Speaking during a session of the National Assembly, Mustafa Kamal said the situation in Pakistan could not be described as satisfactory. He termed the annual deaths of 400,000 children an extremely serious issue and claimed that Pakistan is among the countries with the highest rates of deaths among children under the age of five.
The federal health minister said he was referring to children whose lives could be saved. According to him, these are not merely statistics but represent the suffering of millions of families. He stressed the need to take the issue seriously and introduce effective reforms in the country’s primary healthcare system.
He also expressed concern over the maternal mortality rate during pregnancy, saying that around 11,000 women die in Pakistan every year during pregnancy or due to pregnancy related complications.
Expressing grief over recent tragedies and the loss of children, Mustafa Kamal said no one could bring the deceased children back. He extended his sympathies to the bereaved parents and prayed that Allah grant them patience and reward them greatly for the loss of their children.
The health minister said such incidents should not simply be treated as tragedies and forgotten. Instead, he said, they should be viewed as a test from Allah and should prompt authorities to determine how the lives of other children can be saved in the future.
He said the real question was what steps could be taken to prevent the next child from dying. According to him, if shortcomings in the system are not addressed, expressions of grief and condolences alone will not solve the problem.
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