Floods 2011: 30% of children suffer from malnutrition

Islamic Relief urges people to prepare flood survivors for winter.

ISLAMABAD: More than two months after the August floods, millions of people are still at great risk as humanitarian problems in the country continue to mount, said Fadlullah Wilmot, the director of an NGO, Islamic Relief, here on Wednesday.

He said that over nine million people have been affected by the monsoon floods which hit slightly over a year after the devastating floods of 2010. Millions of homes in Sindh, the worst hit region in the country have been destroyed or damaged.

In its 2011 flood response programme, Islamic Relief Pakistan, with an allocation of 10 million pounds, addressed the early recovery, healthcare, livelihood, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene needs of the flood-affected population of Sindh.

Despite these mounting problems, the funds raised for this year’s floods in Pakistan so far has been extremely low. The UN has only managed to raise $96.5 million for its $357 million appeal. Aid agencies operations are also dangerously underfunded

Adequate nutrition is still a major problem in the country - thirteen districts in Sindh saw more than 67 per cent of their food stocks destroyed and 30 per cent of children in Sindh are suffering from severe malnutrition. This time of year is also planting season, but as the fields of many farmers are still under water which will further prolong and compound the problem of hunger and poverty.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2011.