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3.5 million children in danger: UN

Published: August 18, 2010

A woman and a young boy fight over a bag of flour. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

The United Nations says that water-borne diseases are becoming a grave concern for flood victims in Pakistan, as 36,000 suspected cases of potentially fatal acute watery diarrhoea have been reported so far.

The UN has also warned that up to 3.5 million children could be in danger of contracting deadly diseases. The list of diseases is growing every day and includes watery diarrhoea, cholera and upper respiratory infections. Estimates put the current flood death toll at around 2,000 but this number is expected to rise as more people succumb to the diseases.

Earlier, reports confirmed that five children died of gastroenteritis in Pishin Balochistan, and another three died in Karachi on Wednesday.

Health officials are warning of a second wave of deaths from water-borne infections as a total of nine deaths have been recorded in Sindh due to diseases. Children, women and the elderly are especially at risk as the epidemic is spreading through contaminated flood water. A red alert has been sent to the World Health Organization by the Health Ministry for starting emergency treatment to contain the growing number of disease cases.

Reader Comments (8)

  • NAVEED ALI SHER
    Aug 18, 2010 - 5:28PM

    our politicians doesn’t care how much people will die after flood they know that people will elect them again,
    naveed_alisher@hotmail.comRecommend

  • Aug 18, 2010 - 6:56PM

    Where is Allah ?Recommend

  • Hamid Waseem
    Aug 18, 2010 - 9:01PM

    May almighty help them but govt. has to pull their socks up because it’s time to work and forgot to given interview on countless channels. Those are badly affected they need immediate responses not from the govt. but also from the common people of this nation. If you help them , ALLAH will reward on the judgment day.Recommend

  • F. U. Khan
    Aug 19, 2010 - 12:33AM

    As far as children are concerned this is a great shocking news as UNO has given the figure of 3.5 million children to be possibly affected. Children are our future and their health is very important to cure them from the water born diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria, gastroenteritis and liver diseases. If we have no sufficient medical officers and para medical staff, we are required to take assistance from the Muslim neighbouring countries till such time the UNO (WHO) who is already aware of this send their teams and we should educate the inhabitants of the flood ridden area through local government teams and provincial general hospital teams and media such as radio, television and press. We can use university and collage students to educate the people of the slum areas and areas where education level is not of that standard as of our towns and cities to warn and how to take measures to purify the drinking water traditionally which is not so costly to adopt.Recommend

  • taj haq uk
    Aug 19, 2010 - 1:09AM

    I suppose we are suffering more than any other nation at the moment and ask the question from my self what is biggest hurdle that international community including Pakistani around the world hesitate the donate any kind donation? My personal opinion after talking with several people in UK community everyone has one response where is money is going end. Perhaps we our biggest curse at the moment Zardari and his past history is biggest obstruction for us. I am sure once we get rid the Zardari believe or not you can see the immedate different response from around the world. I will urge that Mr. Zardari please resign sake of Pakistani children or his own childrenRecommend

  • iqra fatima
    Aug 19, 2010 - 3:12AM

    Flood is one of natural disasters that has destroyed hundreds and thousands of villages, millions of people are made homeless , no shelter , no protection, no food , no electricity …
    Govt needs to take quick actions for suffering humanity!!
    Every day we get to see cryings and shouting of people through media, young children getting involved in various serious diseases, parents weeping for their young children who are passed away with speedy waves of flood , no arrangements are made to carry out dead bodies of died people from water of flood.
    Millions of lives are facing countless problems and they need to be provided such comforts of which they are righteous! This is my true request to all the political leaders of pakistan and to every pakistani that it’s time to come together and work for relief of these people after all pakistan is a united nation and this bad time is not only faced by sindh but by whole nation so let’s come together and work for better future of pakistan and let’s show the world that pakistan z strong and united nation!
    PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!Recommend

  • Corry Francis, Karachi, Pakistan
    Aug 19, 2010 - 8:29AM

    The government needs to make public the strategic plan devised to handle this situation identify what they can do and not. Thus tackling the situation effectively. All we constantly hear is comprehensive news on the issue I hope it could be more on what’s being done(if anything at all)to handle it. The funds coming in from around the world needs to be utilized not only for the current situation, though it is of top importance but to plan for the future because once a new issue crops up the attention of the media and authorities will be diverted and the suffering will be left to the mercy of God. It will take another 100 – 200 years for a country like ours to recover.Recommend

  • Khawaja Zafar
    Aug 19, 2010 - 11:35AM

    There is no clear government policy till now about the Rlief work. No body has trust on the PPP party and the burocracy. Let there be an indepdent body to work for relief nad rehabliation of the effected.Recommend

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