Close X
Thursday, December 26, 2024
ADVT 
International

Flood situation in Pak highly likely to boost disease spread: WHO

Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Sep, 2022 11:13 AM
  • Flood situation in Pak highly likely to boost disease spread: WHO

Islamabad, Sep 1 (IANS) The catastrophic flood situation in Pakistan will highly likely increase the spread of disease, says the World Health Organization (WHO), as the country continues its relentless battle against the deadly deluges.

In its latest situation report on flooding in Pakistan, the WHO pointed out that the heavy monsoon rain which started in mid-June are continuing in many parts of the country and have affected 116 districts (75 per cent) out of the total 160, Geo News reported.

The most affected province is Sindh, followed by Balochistan.

As of August 25, more than 33 million people have been affected and over 6.4 million people are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 421,000 refugees, the WHO report highlighted.

More than 1,100 lives have been lost and almost 15,000 people injured.

The WHO report focused on what it called the "severe" impact on health facilities, stating that as of August 28, 888 health facilities have been damaged in the country of which 180 of them are completely damaged.

Photo courtesy of IANS. 

"Access to health facilities, health care workers, and essential medicines and medical supplies remain the main health challenges for now," Geo News quoted the WHO report as saying.

Pakistan's health system is already battling multiple concurrent health threats, including Covid-19, and outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, measles, leishmaniasis and HIV, the WHO said, adding that even before the current floods, there was a significant disparity in access to health services between rural and urban areas.

Meanwhile, health experts have sounded the alarm regarding the outbreak of disease in flood-affected areas, estimating around five million people to fall sick in the next four to 12 weeks.

MORE International ARTICLES

Gorbachev's death could prove a point of yet more tension between Russia and West

Gorbachev's death could prove a point of yet more tension between Russia and West
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Wednesday that Kremlin was still deciding on the scale of the funeral for Gorbachev, who was despised by many pro-Putin hardliners for his role in bringing about the end of the Soviet Union. 

Gorbachev's death could prove a point of yet more tension between Russia and West

United Sikhs rushes relief supplies for Pakistan flood victims

United Sikhs rushes relief supplies for Pakistan flood victims
Local Sikh volunteers of United Sikhs have setup a camp to move flood-affected families to safe areas and provide them with food, water, and other immediate supplies under the leadership of the organisation's representative in Pakistan, Herdyal Singh.

United Sikhs rushes relief supplies for Pakistan flood victims

4th yr medical student killed in Armenia, MP CM assures help to bring body home

4th yr medical student killed in Armenia, MP CM assures help to bring body home
Ever since the family was informed about the alleged murder of Ashutosh, they have been seeking help from the Central and the state governments. Dwivedi was pursuing a medical degree in an Armenia based medical college. A family member told IANS that Dwivedi had gone to Armenia in 2020 and he was a fourth year medical student.

4th yr medical student killed in Armenia, MP CM assures help to bring body home

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, passes away at 91

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, passes away at 91
Gorbachev, who during his seven years in power made dramatic reforms that paved the way for the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, died Tuesday at a Moscow hospital at 91.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, passes away at 91

Attacked at home, Afghan Sikhs find community on Long Island

Attacked at home, Afghan Sikhs find community on Long Island
Sikhs and Hindus make up only a tiny fraction of the population of Afghanistan, which is almost entirely Muslim. Under the Taliban in the late 1990s, they were asked to identify themselves by wearing yellow armbands or badges, reminiscent of Nazi Germany, and in recent years they have been repeatedly targeted by extremists.

Attacked at home, Afghan Sikhs find community on Long Island

Newly reported monkeypox cases dip worldwide: WHO

Newly reported monkeypox cases dip worldwide: WHO
In the week from August 15-21, there were 21 per cent fewer cases than in the previous week, dpa news agency quoted the global health body as saying in a statement issued on Thursday. In the previous four weeks, the numbers had been rising.

Newly reported monkeypox cases dip worldwide: WHO

PrevNext