MITHI: Two more children died of malnutrition and other waterborne and viral diseases on Saturday at the Civil Hospital, Mithi. According to the officials from health department, the total death count of children due to malnutrition and other diseases in the drought-stricken district of Thar has mounted to 493 in this year. Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan summoned the Sindh chief secretary and other top officials of health department in a case pertaining to the deaths of children owing to malnutrition in the Tharparkar. The chief justice remarked that he would himself visit Tharparkar to examine the situation in the drought-hit areas. Member National Assembly (MNA) Ramesh Kumar Vankwani told the chief justice that there is a need to establish basic health centers at the level of villages in Tharparkar. Thar is the place where one could find every kind of drug available in the world, he claimed. Vankwani further said that the health department alone cannot address the situation as the participation of other departments in relief efforts will be necessary. Published in Daily Times, October 14th 2018.