WB okays $213m for Balochistan’s flood victims

Funds aimed at improving livelihoods, essential services and enhancing risk protection

ISLAMABAD:

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has given the nod to $213 million in funds for Balochistan’s people, whose livelihoods were affected by the record-breaking floods in Pakistan last year.

According to a statement issued by the World Bank on Thursday, the funds were aimed at improving livelihoods, essential services and enhancing risk protection in communities affected by the 2022 floods.

It added that the financing was part of the programme agreed with the government to respond to the devastating floods that hit the country last summer and build a climate-resilient Pakistan.

“We will be working closely with the Government of Balochistan to support the affected communities by providing livelihood support [,] rehabilitating irrigation and flood protection infrastructures,” the statement quoted Najy Benhassine, the World Bank country director for Pakistan, as saying.

“This will not only help restore livelihoods but also protect the population by improving their resilience to potential future climate-related disasters and natural hazards,” he added.

The World Bank official further said the project was part of the comprehensive package of post-floods rehabilitation and resilient-reconstruction programme agreed with the authorities.

Last month, the UN had dedicated $5.5 million towards emergency nutrition and food security interventions in the “most vulnerable communities of Balochistan and Sindh” impacted by the 2022 floods.

In a press release, the UN pointed out that the number of children suffering from wasting in the flood-affected areas had greatly increased in comparison with the pre-flood situation, which was already reaching emergency levels.

“Nearly one-third of children aged six to 23 months suffer from moderate acute malnutrition and 14% from severe acute malnutrition” it read, referring to a rapid survey conducted in 15 flood-affected districts.

It said the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition with medical complications admitted for hospital treatment had also gradually increased since the floods as food prices soared globally.

The UN added that additional funding was “urgently required” to implement early identification, integrated prevention and treatment of malnutrition in a greater number of villages and healthcare facilities since only one-third of the nutrition interventions included in the Floods Response Plan were funded so far.

“There is also a need to increase the number of interventions that improve availability, affordability and accessibility to nutritious foods that protect children from wasting,” the UN continued.

The floods of 2022 were the 10th most expensive climate disaster to be experienced by any nation over the last decade.

The floods inflicted an estimated loss of $3 billion to the country, caused over 1,700 deaths and displaced eight million people.