Statement from Ms. Saba Faisal, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan
How many are affected?
“Since mid-June, the NDMA has documented over 1,718 fatalities and over 12,800 injuries as of 14 October.
According to reports from the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) of the affected provinces, more than 2.1 million homes have been damaged or destroyed, and about 8 million people are allegedly displaced, including about 644,000 people living in relief camps.
An estimated 14.6 million individuals, or more than 100% of the pre-flood estimate, will need emergency food assistance from December through March 2023.
What do people need most now?
“Around 5.5 million people lack access to clean drinking water, and over 7 million children and women need emergency access to nutrition assistance. 20.6 million people need humanitarian aid, including 8.2 million in flood-affected areas who urgently need medical attention.
The key requirements in food, water and sanitation, health, and shelter are reflected in needs assessments in Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
How is the medical situation right now? Is there enough medical care available?
In the worst-affected districts of Sindh, the Government-led multi-sector rapid needs assessments (RNA) revealed that 37% of key informants said the closest health facility is not operational, and those who said there is a health facility nearby said it had a restricted capacity. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports that as of October 5th, about 2,000 medical institutions had either been damaged or destroyed. Access issues and reports of low stock levels of necessary medications and medical supplies add yet another layer of difficulty to providing individuals in need with adequate healthcare.
Nearly 4 million children lack access to healthcare, while over 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected areas struggle to get maternal services.
The absence of suitable sanitary facilities significantly worsens the health problem. Large portions of Sindh are still under water, and getting around these regions is very difficult. Due to damage to the water infrastructure and sanitary facilities, an estimated 5.5 million people no longer have access to safe drinking water. Children are therefore particularly vulnerable to the effects of poor sanitary and health conditions. As of October 7, about 10 million children, including 4 million without access to health care and 7.6 million who face protection threats, needed emergency life-saving assistance.
What would you like to express? What should the world know?
This is a climate-fuelled disaster. It is difficult to consider how many families are suffering from starvation, misery, and uncertainty in flood-affected areas. Simply put, the sight of all those vulnerable families, children aware that some went days without eating, and the images stick someplace in the mind and manifest as fear or shock.It’s going to take a while. At this point, no amount of help is sufficient; one may even contribute the same amount to their own supper. For some people in the affected areas, this lunch expense can extend for several days.”
SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan is responding with partners to help children and families by providing shelter, medical supplies, food supplies, and hygiene kits. Your support will ensure we can reach more families displaced by floods and help them overcome this climate disaster.
