An important revelation was made during the meeting of the Senate standing committee on health that annually, 141,000 children die due to the unavailability of mother’s milk.
The meeting of the Senate standing committee on health was chaired by committee chairman Hameyun Mahmand and the Injured Treatment Bill 2023 was presented in the meeting.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Health said that there is a need for budget allocation for the payment of bills of patients who are victims of accidents in private hospitals by the government.
Senator Mehr Taj Roghani mentioned that in the emergency, it is necessary to provide treatment to patients at all costs, and this is also present in the bill. The saving of lives should be prioritized, and it is worrisome that the Medical Legal System and Frame Work work should be given priority.
The committee chairman said that we must approve this bill under public necessity. Senator Mehr Taj revealed in the committee that due to the unavailability of mother’s milk, 141,000 children fall victim to various diseases and die, as artificial food does not meet the nutritional needs of children.
She further said that it is necessary to give mother’s milk to children for 36 months, and the World Health Organization also opposes market products during this period. It is essential to discourage the distribution of milk and food to children under the age of 36 months. It is recommended in the bill that manufacturers should be subjected to 4 years imprisonment and a fine of 5 million for violation.
The committee chairman said that this case should be taken to court involving the manufacturer, and we will have to present defenses and recommendations in the criminal court.
During the standing committee meeting, the issue of hospitals being denied budget allocation by the ministry was also discussed, to which the officials of the Ministry of Health stated that there are no funds available for the budget, and funds will be provided when released.