WHO declares flooding in Pakistan as highest level health emergency
WHO released $10 million from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to treat the injured, deliver health supplies and prevent outbreaks
The World
Health Organisation (WHO) on August 31 declared the flooding in Pakistan as the
highest level of emergency and released $10 million from the Contingency Fund
for Emergencies (CFE) to treat the injured, deliver health supplies and prevent
outbreaks.
In a
briefing, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "under our
internal grading system, WHO has classified the flooding in Pakistan as a grade
3 emergency, the highest level, which means all 3 levels of the organization
are involved in the response: the country and regional offices, and
headquarters."
Dr Tedros
said that weeks of heavy monsoon rains have caused extensive flooding and
landslides, resulting in death, displacement and damage. More than 1,000 deaths
have been reported, and almost 900 health facilities have been damaged,"
he said.
"3/4 of
Pakistan’s districts and 33 million people have been affected, with 6+ million
in dire need of humanitarian aid. Damage to health infrastructure, shortages of
doctors and limited health supplies are disrupting health services, leaving
children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at increased risk."
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The loss of crops and livestock, he said, will have a significant impact on the nutrition and health of many communities who depend on these resources.
"Floods
in #Pakistan, drought and famine in the Greater #HornofAfrica, and more
frequent and intense cyclones in the Pacific and Caribbean all point to the
urgent need for action against the existential threat of #climate change,"
he added.
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