ISLAMABAD: World Health Organisation (WHO) has sounded alarm over an impending “second disaster” of disease and death as concerns grow over spread of water-borne diseases among flood-hit people in Sindh. Warning, issued by WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on nation to generously donate baby food and blankets for flood-affected people on an urgent basis. In statement, WHO chief also urged donors to continue to respond generously to “save lives and prevent more suffering”.

He highlighted that water supply was disrupted in flood-hit areas, forcing people to drink unsafe water which could cause cholera and other diseases. Stagnant water serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and spreads vector-borne diseases such as malaria and Dengue, he warned. “Health centres have been flooded, their supplies damaged and people have moved away from home which makes it harder for them to access their normal health services.” He pointed out that health workers in country were stretched to limit as they did all they could do to deliver critical services amid destruction. “Nearly 2,000 health facilities have been fully or partially damaged.” He said WHO had provided water purification kits and oral rehydration salts to manage diarrhoeal diseases. WHO immediately released $ 10 million from WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies which enabled us to deliver essential medicines and other supplies to country, he added.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 19 2022

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