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A30 world news
Diahuebs 1 september 2022

In Pakistan, fears of waterborne diseases as floods recede

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Of- the spread of waterborne from powerful monsoon
ficials in Pakistan raised diseases among thousands rains began to recede in
concern Wednesday over of flood victims as waters many parts of the country.

Some doctors said initially "WHO is working with
they were seeing mostly pa- health authorities to respond
tients traumatized by the quickly and effectively on
flooding, but are now treat- the ground," said Dr. Palitha
ing people suffering from Mahipala, the WHO repre-
diarrhea, skin infections and sentative in Pakistan. "Our
other waterborne ailments in key priorities now are to
the country's flood-hit areas. ensure rapid access to es-
Many pregnant women liv- sential health services to the
ing in flood-affected areas flood-affected population,
were also exposed to risks. (to) strengthen and expand
disease surveillance, outbreak
The development has forced prevention and control, and
the government to deploy ensure robust health cluster
additional medical teams, coordination."
dispatch medicine and pro-
vide clean drinking water to Authorities said waterborne
survivors, many of whom are diseases among flood victims
living in tents and makeshift are now common across the
homes. country.

The warning came a day af- Pakistani authorities backed
ter record-breaking floods by the military, rescuers and
prompted the United Na- volunteers, have struggled to
tions to formally issue an evacuate marooned people to
appeal for $160 million in safer places. On Wednesday,
emergency funding to the military helicopters contin-
impoverished Islamic nation, ued evacuating flood victims
where about a million homes and delivering food to remote
have been damaged or de- regions, according to a state-
stroyed. ment released by the military.
It said it has deployed at least
According to the U.N. Popu- 6,500 troops to assist in res-
lation Fund, about 650,000 cue and relief operations.
pregnant women in flood-
affected areas require mater- Rescuers were also using
nal health services to ensure boats to evacuate stranded
a safe pregnancy and child- people in southern Sindh
birth. province and in remote vil-
lages in eastern Punjab prov-
Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, ince. Floods in the past 24
health minister in the coun- hours damaged about 70,000
try's worst-affected province more homes in the coun-
of Sindh, said officials have try's northwest and southern
set up 4,210 medical camps Sindh province, according to
in the province's flood-hit National Disaster Manage-
areas to treat victims now ment Authority.
suffering from skin and wa-
terborne diseases, which are Prime Minister Shahbaz
common during floods. Sharif in a visit to the flood-
hit Swat Valley promised the
The World Health Organiza- rehabilitation of every person
tion began aiding Pakistani displaced by the flood. In his
authorities in their efforts televised comments, Shah-
to treat people injured in baz thanked U.N. Secretary-
the rains and flooding. The General Antonio Guterres
agency said in a statement for responding to Pakistan's
it was working to increase request and issuing an appeal
surveillance for acute diar- for $160 million in emer-
rhea, cholera and other com- gency funding to help flood
municable diseases to avoid victims. Guterres on Tues-
their spreading further, and is day urged the world: "Let's
also providing medicine and stop sleepwalking toward the
medical supplies to health fa- destruction of our planet by
cilities. climate change."