{
  "id": 73685,
  "title": "HEALTH: UNCOVERING WHY BABIES DIE",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/health-uncovering-why-babies-die",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-02T02:18:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2020026/health-uncovering-why-babies-die"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Changan Karvaan, a white minivan with no distinguishing markings, houses state-of-the-art medical equipment used in minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS). This method helps researchers uncover the exact cause of death in babies under five years old in some of Karachi’s poorest neighborhoods. MITS involves extracting minute tissue and fluid samples from key organs using fine needles, which are then analyzed for pathogens, infectious diseases, and malignant tumors to determine the biological cause of death without a full autopsy. This technique has proven particularly valuable in Pakistan, where religious beliefs often deter families from consenting to traditional post-mortems. Despite initial resistance from many households, the CHAMPS program, coordinated by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, has managed to obtain consent from over 90% of families through extensive community engagement and religious dialogues. The MITS samples provide a level of accuracy comparable to full autopsies, identifying the cause of death in 98 to 100% of cases through advanced diagnostic tests such as polymerase chain reactions and chromatography. This technology allows researchers to pinpoint the exact pathogens and hidden causes behind stillbirths and infant deaths, even when visible symptoms have already been addressed. A local community health worker named Mirzaadi exemplifies the collaborative effort between the research team and community members, as she works alongside them to identify and record mortalities, ensuring that data collection happens even in the absence of formal hospital records.",
  "summary": "Field teams actively track children under five years of age every three months to closely observe health trajectories and vital events. Expectant mothers within the target areas are systematically registered and followed up with | AKU & CHAMPS programme At first glance, the Changan Karvaan parked outside one of Aga Khan University’s (AKU) field sites in Karachi’s Bhains Colony looks like an…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}