The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that more than 64 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance due to the devastating floods in Pakistan. When floods are wreaking havoc in Pakistan, the government of Pakistan has declared a national emergency and declared 66 districts as ‘disaster-affected’ areas. More than 1,100 people, including about 350 children, have lost their lives.
Likewise, more than 1,000 people were injured and more than 287,000 houses were completely destroyed. Apart from this, more than 7,35,000 animals and birds have been destroyed and the crops planted on 2 million(lakhs) acres of land have been adversely affected.
“The heavy monsoon rains that started in Pakistan in mid-July 2022 are continuing in many parts of the country and it has affected 116 districts (75 percent) out of 154 districts of Pakistan,” said WHO in a report. Sindh has been affected the most while Balochistan is the second affected province. According to the WHO, the country’s health facilities have been badly affected by the rains and floods. As of August 28, 2022, eight hundred and eighty-eight health institutions have been damaged, of which 180 have been completely damaged. According to WHO, access to health institutions, health workers, essential medicines and health materials is the main health challenge for now. The World Health Organization has stated that the country’s health system is dealing with various contemporary health threats such as Covid-19, cholera, typhoid and measles. The United States has announced an additional 30 million US dollars in life-saving humanitarian aid to help people and communities affected by severe floods in Pakistan, and other countries have also pledged support.