PM: 3.5 mln Pakistani children at risk of waterborne diseases

 
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Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that over 3.5 million children are at risk from deadly water-borne diseases in the flood-hit areas.

"Besides, acute respiratory infections, skin diseases and malnutrition are spreading in many flood affected regions," the prime minister told a meeting on Tuesday to review health situation in the flood-affected areas.

He said the country's health system has come under great stress due to the devastation of floods as it has damaged more than 200 health facilities.

"About 35,000 Lady Health Workers, out of a total of 100,000 throughout the country, have been displaced. Doctors, nurses, Lady Health Visitors, and paramedical staff have also been dislocated in the affected areas," Gilani said.

"As human misery continues to mount, we are seriously concerned with spread of epidemic diseases. There is likelihood of water borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and dysentery, especially in children who are already weak and vulnerable to disease," he said.

Gilani said the flood has affected approximately 20 million people to date, damaged more than a million houses, causing 1,534 deaths and injuring 2,062 people.

He informed the meeting that more than 200 tons of medicines have been supplied for 2.2 million affectees so far. "We have also provided 42,106 hygiene kits including women hygiene kits, as it is estimated that more than 500,000 mothers will give birth in the next 6 months in the affected areas," he said.

The prime minister said reproductive health kits for 35,000 population for three months have been given to the provinces in this regard. "More than 2.5 million aqua tablets have been sent to the provinces to ensure safe drinking water."

"Since stagnant water may lead to cases of malaria, nets for 300,000 people along with anti-malaria tablets have provided. Field hospitals are being set up to ensure adequate health service, " he said.

Gilani lauded the work of the UNICEF, WHO, Office for Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) and other UN Agencies who have done exemplary work and shown tremendous spirit, supplemented by invaluable services.

UN officials said though the flood deaths are still relatively low at this point they are concerned about communicable illnesses breaking out among the millions of displaced victims.

The World Health Organization announced Sunday that more than 200,000 cases of acute diarrhea have been diagnosed among flooded Pakistanis, and there are more than 250,000 cases of disease including scabies.

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