ISLAMABAD: Due to catastrophic floods that have wreaked devastation and destroyed the country’s health system, leaving people susceptible to dangerous infections, the government has requested all-encompassing medical aid.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) most recent data, the death toll from floods has reached 1,559, including 551 children and 318 women, and does not include deaths from flood-related diseases.
“The people [stricken by the floods] are now looking towards the 2/3 of the population that has not been affected,” Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives said at a press conference on Tuesday alongside military officials.
The minister urged doctors to set up medical camps for flood victims wherever possible and urged the general public to donate generously to rehabilitation efforts.
Iqbal urged the health sector to assist the government as disease outbreaks were observed in numerous regions and were expected to worsen.
Flooding caused by record monsoon rains and glacier melt in northern Pakistan has affected approximately 33 million people in the South Asian country of 220 million, destroying houses, crops, bridges, highways, and livestock, with damages estimated at $30 billion.
During July and August, the country received 391 mm (15.4 inches) of rain, or 190% more than the 30-year average, as a result of a monsoon that began early and lasted longer than usual. Rainfall in Sindh’s southern province increased to 466% of the norm.
According to Iqbal, the federal government has also launched a sister district scheme, which will allow a district with sufficient resources to adopt a flood-affected district.
In order to bridge the gap in health services, the adoptive district will provide its health facilities to the flood-affected area for a month.
“The federal government is requesting that provinces begin this adopt a district initiative. Particularly in Punjab. Provinces should make their resources available to assist individuals. This will be of great assistance to the country “He stated.
According to the planning minister, the government has decided that all vice-chancellors would be directed to task their university students with creating a mother and child nutrition pack through the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Iqbal stated that the government intends to collect two million mother and child nutrition kits from the 2.5 million students enrolled in Pakistan’s universities, the specifics of which will be announced soon.
“We want to raise these nutrition kits to help moms and children who are dying for food and whose lives are in danger,” stated the planning minister.
[embedpost slug=”protest-against-breaching-lbod-dyke-thar-enters-fourth-day”]
