WHO assures to provide essential healthcare services in flood-affected areas

Geneva: World Health Organisation has assured to continue to provide essential healthcare services in flood-affected areas of the country.

Speaking at a media briefing in Islamabad, the World Health Organisation’s Country Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala said the WHO is working on a plan to assist in future preparedness for having effective healthcare systems.

He said the recent devastating floods have caused serious damage to health service delivery in the affected areas which has resulted in various health risks.

The WHO country head said an upward trend was observed in affected areas for various diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, malaria, dengue fever, skin infections and typhoid.

He said keeping in view the flood devastation, the Organization has expanded its operations on ground by establishing three Operational Hubs at Naseerabad, Sukkhar and Hyderabad, and 10 emergency operation centres in flood-affected areas of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.