The humanitarian situation of flood-affected communities in Pakistan is expected to deteriorate, the UN said on Tuesday, as it set up an airlift to deliver aid to the victims.
Torrential rains in Pakistan in recent weeks have caused the worst flooding in the country’s history.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1,460 health centers are affected, of which 432 are fully damaged and 1,028 partially damaged, the majority in Sindh province.
More than 4,500 medical camps have been set up by WHO and its health partners, and 230,000 rapid tests to screen for acute watery diarrhea, malaria, dengue fever, hepatitis and chikungunya have been distributed.
During a press briefing in Geneva, a WHO spokesperson, Tarik Jasarevic, explained that it was still difficult to access the areas affected by the floods but stressed the urgency of intensifying surveillance. diseases.
According to the WHO, the current epidemics of COVID-19, acute watery diarrhea, typhoid, measles, dengue fever, leishmaniasis, HIV and polio are likely to worsen.
“We have already received reports of increased numbers of cases of acute watery diarrhoea, typhoid, measles and malaria, especially in the most affected areas,” Jasarevic said.
Neonatal mortality and severe acute malnutrition rates are likely to increase due to disruption of health services.
“The situation is expected to get worse, especially for the most vulnerable people,” the WHO spokesperson said.
“Urgent international support”
WHO has so far delivered $1.5 million worth of essential drugs and other supplies, including water purification kits and oral rehydration salt sachets, and is appealing for $19 million to help affected populations.
“There is an urgent need to intensify disease surveillance, restore damaged sanitation facilities, ensure that medicines and medical supplies are in sufficient quantity and provide psychosocial and mental health support to affected communities,” said insisted Mr. Jasarevic.
The Organization is also preparing to face a deterioration of the situation in the coming months as more monsoon rains are expected.
More than 33 million people have been affected by these floods. A third of Pakistan was submerged and at least 1,300 people perished.
“The scale of the devastation requires urgent international support,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in a statement, which also fears that “the situation will deteriorate”.
Also involved in humanitarian aid operations, UNHCR launched an airlift to deliver aid from Dubai.
Four first flights were able to take place on Monday, the director of the UNHCR regional office for Asia and the Pacific, Indrika Ratwatte, told the media during a visit to Geneva. Six other flights are planned, with mattresses, tarpaulins and cooking utensils on board.
UNHCR trucks carrying tents for some 11,000 families are also on their way from Uzbekistan, and more convoys are planned.
In particular, aid must be provided to 50,000 households in the most affected areas.
“The food insecurity is going to be huge because the crops are obviously devastated and the little livestock they had is also destroyed,” Ratwatte noted.