MITHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday chaired a meeting of ministers, lawmakers and district officials at the local Circuit House to review the ongoing relief operation in the drought-hit areas of Thar.

He called for closely monitoring the relief work as well as distribution of free-of-cost wheat without any discrimination.

Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner Asif Akram informed the chief minister that a total of 92,182 wheat bags had already been distributed to the drought-hit families of Thar. He said that the district administration had also received 23,836 packets of ration from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and some other donor agencies. Of them, 21,986 packets had been distributed and the process was in full swing to dispose of the remaining stock, he added.

The DC informed the meeting that 48 mobile teams were providing medical treatment in the district.

He said that so far 32,678 patients were treated by the Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative and another 34,551 by the provincial health department.

The livestock department was operating 19 mobile teams to vaccinate animals against diseases, he told the meeting, adding that so far 2.4 million out of around six million animals had been vaccinated.

The chief minister was informed that 180 drought-related deaths had been reported from various parts of the district since December last year. The victims included 104 children and 30 women, Mr Akram said. Forty-four cattle heads perished during the period, according to him.

Those who attended the meeting included Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Jam Khan Shoro, Minister for Zakat Dost Mohammad Rahimoo, MNA Faqir Sher Mohammad Bilalani, MPA Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, Makhdoom Niamutullah, Noor Hassan Shah Jillani, Tharparkar Commissioner Sajid Jamal Abro and Director-General of Health Dr Hafiz.

Earlier, the chief minister visited the children ward at the Mithi Civil Hospital and inquired after the health of drought-hit patients receiving treatment there. He asked doctors and the hospital administration to take special care of the patients.