Pakistan’s Worst Floods On Record – World Health Organization Responds

Sunday, December 25, 2011

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The threat of waterborne illness outbreaks and immense damage to health facilities are just a number of the complications experienced by the individuals of Pakistan for the duration of its worst floods on record. WHO (World Health Orginaziation) is coordinating the response of health partners and supporting Pakistani authorities by sending medicines and related well being supplies capable of treating far more than 200 000 folks towards the affected locations within the northwestern region of the country.

Major health concerns in the moment are the control of waterborne illnesses, which includes diarrhoeal illnesses and respiratory infections, treating the injured, helping to ensure the top quality of clean drinking water and ensuring public access to health facilities using the emphasis on growing the number of female well being workers.

Many wellness facilities destroyedAbout 46 of Pakistan’s 135 districts have been affected by the flooding. At the least 39 wellness facilities have been destroyed, resulting in a loss of tons of medicines. There’s a tremendous require for more medical and related materials to treat individuals affected by the humanitarian emergency, also as to immunize youngsters, particularly against polio and measles.

Static and mobile medical teams are supplying outreach services to affected areas specifically with maternal, neonatal and child wellness, nutrition and psychosocial support. By the end of two August, dozens of mobile teams and fixed well being facilities had treated far more than 15 000 patients, several of whom had been suffering from diarrhoea.

WHO responseWHO is operating together with the Pakistani Ministry of Wellness, National Disaster Management Authority, Provincial Departments of Health too as partner healthcare providers within the Health Cluster network of international and neighborhood organizations. A disease outbreak early warning system is active and, as yet, no outbreaks of diseases have been confirmed, even so concern of the disease outbreaks remains high.

WHO has sent huge shipments of medicines and supplies to treat individuals for diarrhoea, respiratory infections, wounds, and other well being conditions. To make sure people have access to clean, secure supplies of drinking water, WHO has also supplied 102 000 aqua tablets and 4600 water purifying sachets to wellness facilities in Peshawar and Nowshera.

Unmet needsBut the scale of the emergency means more medical supplies will be needed. Other urgent desires identified by an initial assessment conducted by UN agencies contain:offering psychosocial support to the affected populationhygiene promotion interventions – supplying water purification tablets, safe water, water chlorinationtents for temporary wellness facilitiesstrengthening the referral technique to higher levels of wellness carevaccination campaignsSource: World Health Organization (WHO)