With the devastating prevalence of malnutrition in Pakistan, the nation is battling an overwhelming population of patients with a multitude of diseases.
Women, particularly mothers, and their children have inadvertently borne the brunt of illnesses related to malnutrition, and child healthcare falters further for malnourished nursing mothers.
One of the significant causes of malnutrition in women is underlying poverty and lack of development. In the present study, percentage-wise, malnourished females are 25.2% as compared to males (20.2%) and a wide variety of development actions are needed to improve the food security and nutrition of women in Pakistan.
Hence, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD) specifies providing special care for women and children in impoverished areas such as rural Sindh which is currently trying to rectify the damage caused by the floods.
Malnutrition in itself leads inadvertently to heart diseases among young children thus it is of utmost importance that they are treated with proper medical care.
Furthermore, NICVD has set up multiple relief camps across Sindh Province including Sujawal, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Tando Muhammad Khan, Hyderabad, Matiari, Jamshoro, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Nawabshah, Umerkot, Khairpur, and Gadap Karachi.
With the help of their highly trained team and state-of-the-art services, NICVD aims to provide proper medical and healthcare to all flood-affected victims, especially women and children.
In addition to providing nutritional services, one of the flood relief camps in Sehwan is working toward treating malnourished patients.
With a rising plunge in malnutrition, many nursing mothers are said to have experienced premature births, stillbirths, and malnourished children.
This is because of a lack of sufficient intake of healthy nutrients during and after pregnancy. Interestingly, this camp provides services related to gynecology, for expectant and lactating mothers.
Along with this, this camp also provides medical facilities for young and malnourished children.
However, there is a growing need for vitamin supplements. Many medicines are running out quite rapidly, all because of the severity amongst adults and children in this particular district.
On the contrary, nutritional and dietary assessments are also being conducted to ensure a healthy diet plan for malnourished victims.
The NICVD aims not only to provide food and nutrition but to give a nutritional assessment of the victims, to provide them with sufficient nutrients according to their dietary requirements.
In addition to the nutritional assessments, the NICVD also seeks to provide goody bags.
These goody bags include sustainable and healthy food items for young children with dietary imbalances or malnourishment.
Furthermore, the camps offer great services such as blood drips, cannula, injections, and medicines by medical professionals including paramedics, doctors, and nurses.
NICVD has provided an exceptionally efficient and reliable system with its medical officers and healthcare professionals working tirelessly day and night to counter various ailments like malnutrition, diarrhea, dengue fever, and malaria.
The presence of female doctors and gynecologists is a commendable effort to cater to problems pertaining to the female body. Initiatives like this are all we need to fight this catastrophe together.
