Mortality rate among children alarming in Pakistan: Saghir

KARACHI: Sindh Health Minister Dr Saghir Ahmed, expressing mortality rate of children of up to five years of age due to different diseases, said on Sunday that in Pakistan over 80, 000 children die of pneumonia and 60, 000 children die of diarrhea annually. Speaking at the concluding session of 4th International Paediatric Conference, the minister said the mortality rate among children was alarming and needed a comprehensive strategy to control it. Dr Iqbal Memon and others also addressed the programme, while Secretary Health Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi, Special Secretary Health Dr Suresh Kumar, Administrator Karachi Muhammad Hussain Syed and others were also present on the occasion. ppi