ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) has forewarned of a worsening humanitarian situation in flood-ravaged Pakistan.
Over 33 million people have been affected by the flooding in Pakistan due to record monsoon rains amplified by climate change.
According to the WHO, over 1,460 health centres had been damaged, of which 432 were fully wrecked, mostly in Sindh. More than 4,500 medical camps have been set up by the WHO and its partners, while more than 230,000 rapid tests for acute watery diarrhoea, malaria, dengue, hepatitis and chikungunya have been distributed.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said, “Such diseases are already circulating in Pakistan, alongside Covid-19, HIV and polio, and now all these are at risk of getting worse.”
“We have already received reports of increased number of cases of acute watery diarrhoea, typhoid, measles and malaria, especially in the worst-affected areas,” he said.
Foreign Minister of Japan Hayashi Yoshimasa noted that rain and flooding in Pakistan had led to over a thousand of deaths besides infrastructure damage. He also announced assistance for Pakistan to combat damage of floods.
Meanwhile, the UNHCR is scaling up support in Pakistan by mounting a huge airlift operation from Dubai meant to focus on Larkana and Sukkur. The first three of nine scheduled flights have already arrived here, with the other five on their way.
Aid includes 40,000 sleeping mats, nearly 15,000 kitchen sets and some 5,000 multi-purpose tarpaulins. An additional six flights are also scheduled from Dubai for Wednesday and Thursday, with 4,500 sleeping mats, 400 tarpaulins, and nearly 5,000 kitchen sets.
