WHO delivers $800m aid to Balochistan heath dept

QUETTA:

The World Health Organization (WHO) delivered medicines and other equipment worth over $800 million to the health department of Balochistan on Monday aimed at preventing cholera outbreak in the rain-hit areas of the province.

WHO head in Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathana Mahipala also distributed donations in the flood-affected areas, as well as the newly-constructed Covid-19 vaccination centre on the Pak-Afghan border in Chaman.

The Balochistan chief secretary received the equipment, supplies and furniture from the WHO at a ceremony attended by Health Secretary Saleh Muhammad Nasir, Director General Health Services Dr. Noor Ahmad Qazi, Quetta Deputy Commissioner Shahak Baloch, officials of WHO, Unicef and EPI.

Later, Dr Mahipala inaugurated cholera vaccination campaign for 37 union councils of 18 districts. “It is for the first time cholera vaccine was being given to children in Pakistan,” Dr Mahipala told the journalists.

The WHO chief in Pakistan emphasised that by drinking clean water, washing hands with soap and eating well-cooked food, cholera could be prevented from spreading in flood-affected areas of Balochistan.

During the visit, Dr Mahipala visited the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) offices and received a briefing on the arrangements for flood relief and the prevention of cholera outbreak.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2022.