Indicators of child health in pastoral communities in the Karakoram and Hindukush mountains, Pakistan.

Pastoralism is practiced in remote parts of the Karakoram and Hindukush high mountains, which sprawl across Northern Pakistan, with women and children travelling to high pastures with their animals during summer. The pastures are not accessible by road, while glaciers and hazardous terrain accentuate their remoteness. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan's Wakhan province to assess health indicators in children in pastoral communities. A questionnaire was used to collect basic health data; height / length, and weight were also measured. Thirty-five children were included in the study. This paper offers preliminary conclusions about health indicators and access to health care facilities. For children in the pastures, health care, and other amenities entail long and sometimes hazardous journeys. Living at high altitudes with their livestock, food consists almost exclusively of wheat (roti) and dairy products. The most significant finding was severe stunting in 34.2% of the children. This is higher as compared to the national data, and from Gilgit-Baltistan.