Death by Design: Malnutrition and Health Crisis in Tharparkar, Sindh

A collective prayer was recently organized at the temple in Mithi to mark the death of more than 200 newborns and infants in Tharparkar district. Such deaths make “breaking news” on many channels but the media persons rarely go behind the headlines to inform us about the causes of this man-made crisis. Pakistanis living in urban centers know the region through the colorful dresses of Thari women, its distinct music and dance, and its unique handicrafts with their readily identifiable patterns. However, they remain largely unaware of the difficult lives that residents of Thar live and constant struggles they must wage to earn a living. Tharparkar district in the southern corner of Sindh, adjacent to Rajasthan in India, is the most densely populated desert in the world that is characterized by poverty, poor health, low social indicators, and limited public health and communications infrastructure. This teach-in examines the underlying issues of lack of sustainable livelihoods, governance, health, and social development. Through participation of representatives from the governmental and civil society, the teach-in will focus on the underlying social issues in Tharprkar and policy proposals for addressing these issues.
Invited Panelists:
Senator Taj Haider – Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPP-P)
TBA – Health Department, Government of Sindh
Dr. Sonu Khanagarani – Chief Executive Hisaar Foundation
Dr. Shaikh Tanveer Ahmed – Chief Executive HANDS Pakistan
Moderated by Dr. Asif Aslam – Interim Dean (School of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences) and Associate Professor, Habib University and Dr. Aaron Mulvany – Assistant Professor