ISLAMABAD: United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has warned that 3.4 million children in Pakistan are in need of “immediate, lifesaving support” in the wake of catastrophic floods in the country.
According to the UN agency, floods have affected over 16 million children in Pakistan. The situation in Sindh was “beyond bleak” with many malnourished children battling diseases like diarrhoea, malaria and dengue fever, as well as painful skin conditions, a UNICEF official said.
On September 11, UNICEF decided to increase the number of mobile clinics in flood-hit areas.
According to people privy to the matter, UNICEF announced to increase in the mobile health clinics in northern areas of Sindh with the cooperation of the provincial government.
“The number of UNICEF-run clinics in flood-hit areas has now increased to 66,” they said, adding that currently, 18 clinics each are operational in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 15 in Balochistan.
The agency reported that at least 16 million children, among 34 million total, have been affected by floods in the country. The floods have damaged over 1.1 million homes, and 18,000 schools in the country, they added.
It added that the affected people need clean drinking water, unavailability of water can give rise to multiple diseases. There are only eight weeks until the winter season starts, which will only worsen the condition.
