128 children die from medicine shortage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Former Minister

Sajid Hussain Turi, former Pakistani minister, reported that at least 128 children have died due to a lack of medical supplies in the Kurram region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, following sectarian clashes. The Dawn newspaper reported that the conflict has cut off Kurram from other parts of Pakistan.

All major roads leading to Kurram Agency, including the Parachinar-Peshawar highway, have been blocked due to ongoing violence. This has severely limited access to the area, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

The Kurram region, home to both armed Shia and Sunni Muslims, has been the center of sectarian violence for decades, primarily over land disputes and other local issues. The latest round of clashes began in mid-November when armed attackers ambushed a Shia pilgrimage caravan on its way to Parachinar.

Despite the roadblocks, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government reported that one ton of medicine was airlifted to Parachinar, and some patients were evacuated by helicopter to Islamabad for treatment.

However, Sajid Hussain Turi told Dawn on Monday that 37 children had died in the central hospital alone since the start of the conflict. He estimated that the total number of child deaths across all hospitals in the region had reached 128 over the past 85 days.

Turi emphasized that the blockade has left hospitals in Kurram in dire conditions. In addition to shortages of medicine, there is also a lack of essential supplies such as fuel and gas. He highlighted that heart patients and pregnant women have also died due to the lack of proper medical care.

The ongoing conflict and blockades in Kurram have led to a severe humanitarian crisis, particularly affecting vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant women. The lack of medical supplies and the closure of critical routes have left the region struggling to cope with mounting casualties, emphasizing the urgent need for international aid and peace efforts in the area.

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