Four million malnourished children and about a third of all pregnant women are estimated to have iron deficiency anemia in Punjab. Over 34pc of children under the age of five years are short for their age; over 10pc are underweight for their age and over half anemic. Malnutrition is one of the contributing factors among infant and maternal mortality.

“Infant mortality rate is 77 per 1,000 live births. Under-5 mortality rate is 112 per 1,000 live births. Maternal mortality ratio is estimated to be 300 per 100,000 live births,” according to the data shared by Punjab Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Department at its official website.

The Punjab Health Statistics of 2023 also estimate high probability of infant mortality in South Punjab but it is critical in four districts of the region--Lodhran, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh and Vehari.

Lok Sujag has conducted an in-depth investigation based on classified documents available with the Punjab health department to probe the surge in high infant mortality rate in districts of South Punjab. The investigation exposed deep lacunas in health infrastructure concerning neonatal care.

Appalling situation in four districts

Insiders in the health department have shared health files based on district-wise statistics of probability of neonatal mortalities, suggesting a critical situation in four South Punjab districts where the probability of mortality among infants is much higher than the rest of the districts in the region.

According to the statistics of 2023, four South Punjab districts, i.e, Lodhran, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh and Vehari, out of 11 have identified a high risk probability of mortality among infants and children falling between the first day of birth and the fifth day of birth due to inadequate Paed healthcare facilities, growing rise in poverty, lack of sanitation, unhygienic conditions and poor health infrastructures.

The Lodhran district has the highest probability of infant mortality rate of 88 infants out of 1,000 live births; Khanewal district stands second with highest probability of infant mortalities as 81 die out of 1,000 live births; Muzaffargarh district stands third with 77 infants’ mortality while Vehari district is fourth with the probability of mortality of 75 infants out of 1,000 live births.

The probability of mortality among infants is witnessed at more than 50 out of per 1,000 live births in the rest of eight South Punjab districts, including Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Rajanpur, Multan and Vehari.