UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has said that at least eight million people in flood-hit areas need medical assistance as diseases continue to spread unabated.
According to the report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 3.5 million children’s education has been affected by the floods, and approximately 13.5 million people need protection services.
According to the UNOCHA’s 100-day report, flooding and standing water have sparked a wave of water- and vector-borne diseases, and millions of people are experiencing food insecurity. The report also noted that access to clean drinking water, sanitary conditions, and hygiene practises continue to be problematic.
“Shelter is also a high priority as winter sets in and millions still wait for their land to dry. Survivors are returning home to destroyed houses, ruined crops, and dead livestock,” it said.
The report mentioned that people are moving around, and that protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring that children continue to learn are two major concerns.
The report said that about a total of 33 million people have been affected with 20.6 million still in need of assistance. However, 9.5 million flood affectees have been provided assistance.
Not just that, the winter season is fast approaching, and the affected population will be severely affected by the harsh weather conditions in a few weeks, requiring adequate shelter and non-food items such as tents and blankets, it added.
The flood waters have reportedly continued to recede in many areas of Sindh and Balochistan over the past few weeks, though standing water is still present in some districts. The worst-hit districts in Sindh, including Dadu, Khairpur, and Mirpurkhas, are underwater for almost two months.
The economic situation of Pakistan is expected to have a detrimental impact according to the post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA), which was completed under the leadership of the Ministry of Planning and Development with the Asian Development Bank, European Union, World Bank, and the United Nations system, the report said.
Pakistan requires a total of $816 million to meet its needs out of which $171 million has been funded while the remaining amount is $644.5 million.
According to the assessment, the catastrophic floods have devastated 13,000 road lengths and 439 bridges in terms of infrastructure.
Over 2.3 million homes have been affected nationwide to date, with 900,000 of those homes being completely destroyed. According to the most recent figures, 5.4 million people are still homeless as a result of recent flooding and strong rainfall.
Meanwhile, eight million flood victims need health assistance. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), over 1,700 people died and 12,800 people were injured as a result of the heavy rains and floods.
“Cases of water and vector-borne diseases, along with acute respiratory illnesses, especially among children and old age people, remain a challenge for the public health situation in flood-affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan.”
It added that apart from that, the floods have severely affected the education sector disrupting the school year and children’s access to learning.
As of 20 October 2022, at least 26,632 schools have been damaged or destroyed in Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to floods. Based on current estimations, more than 3.5 million children’s education has been interrupted due to floods all over Pakistan.
The country’s 4.4 million acres of cropland are still in danger. Food security continues to be a problem in flood-affected areas due to the continued economic crisis brought on by rising inflation, slow productivity development, and stagnant floodwater.
Between December and March 2023, 14.6 million additional individuals will likely need emergency food assistance, an increase of more than 100% over the pre-flood forecast.
