Some general (statistical) information about the health situation in the district:

The private clinics mentioned in the above table are run by MBBS and diploma holders. They are mostly in Dera Allah Yar, Shobatpur and Usta Mohammad.

See annex 7 for an overview of all health staff in the district.

The population of the district is depending largely on the government run hospital, dispensaries, BHU etc. for free medical service. The medical resources in the district are inadequate for rural areas. There are two hospitals: one in Dera Allah Yar and one at Usta Mohammad. The hospitals provide partial services of a modern hospitals with limited lab tests, X rays etc. The hospitals have vacancies for specialists and medical officers. The hospital capacity is not geared to the needs of the population.

The district has a number of private practitioners serving in Dera Allah Yar and Usta Mohammad. They hold MBBS degrees from Sindh. Those looking for medical aid find them helpful. The charges are quite reasonable. The complicated cases are referred to Sukkar and Larkana. The people travel to Jacobabad and Shikarpur for better medical aid.

The major disease incidences in the district are malaria, typhoid, diarrhoea, gastro-enteritis, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. According to the medical history and hospital reports, the major factors responsible for incidence of these diseases are the lack of literacy and poor family hygienic conditions. Because of the lack of female literacy, there are adverse effects on family hygiene, nutrition, health, family size and education of children. The people are unaware of or less inclined to follow the concept of family planning.

The diarrhoea leads to a high rate of infant mortality each year. Attack of malaria are very common in the district, even in winter cases of malaria are reported in the hospital. The preventive measures against malaria, hepatitis and diarrhoea are negligible.

The occurrence of gastro-enteritis and hepatitis is due to the unclean and impure water people generally use. The population in rural areas depend on ponds / stored water which is not properly cleaned. They also depend on canal water for drinking purposes, which contains impurities, particularly during flood times.

Malnutrition and a lack of a proper diet bottleneck for the treatment of tuberculosis patients.

There are no special health services in the district.

The district health administration comes under the District Health Officer. The DHO office comes under the Director of Health in Dera Murad Jamali. The hospitals at Dera Allah Yar and Usta Mohammad come under the Medical Superintendent who is responsible for the functioning of staff at the hospital.

The health sector in the district needs to be further developed. Both hospitals at the district level lack proper medical care and arrangements. The services are not satisfactory. The dispensaries and BHUs outside the headquarters are faced with a lack of staff. The rate of diseases common in the area has increased over the past years because of the population growth and inadequate medical services. Especially women suffer from the lack of female doctors and trained nurses. Specific woman health issues are strongly neglected.

The people are turning to "Hakim" and other traditional healers for common and complicated diseases such as hypertension, tuberculosis, malaria, impotency and childless-ness, and diarrhoea. The Hakims are traditionally educated without any advanced degree in medicine. There are few homeopath doctors in the area. In rural areas, persons with basis qualifications of dispenser and medical technician are running their practices to whom people turn when in need of acute medical assistance.

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