The World Health Organization (WHO) provides medicine and essential health supplies to the health department of Sindh. The consignment includes malaria medicine, rapid testing kits, and nutritional supplements.
WHO is supporting flood relief operations in Sindh and has provided 30 vehicles to provide medical facilities and 12 boats to reach areas still under water.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, has said that the organization is supporting health service delivery in Sindh flood-affected areas by providing essential medicines, medical equipment, and supplies, nutritional supplements, as well as renovating and refurbishing damaged health infrastructure in the province, coordinating closely with the department of Health.
The WHO representative said this while addressing a ceremony of handing over essential medicines and supplies to the Sindh health department at the WHO Sukkur Hub.
Dr. Mahipala, while addressing the event, said that the floods and rain emergency have caused widespread losses to lives and property, and the most affected area is health infrastructure. He said 2,000 health facilities have been damaged, which is 12 percent of the total health facilities in the country. Dr. Palitha said that the WHO will continue to support the health department to control the spread of malaria and water-borne diseases and to establish 19 Nutrition Stabilization Centers (NSC) to mitigate the effects of malnutrition in children.
While addressing the event, Director General Health Sindh Dr. Muhammad Juman Bahoto thanked WHO for its active role in relief and rehabilitation efforts for the flood-affected people in Sindh. He said that with the support of the WHO, the Sindh health department has been able to establish many health camps and reach areas and people still under water. He said the health department has established camps to cater to over 10 million affected people in the province with support from WHO.
On this occasion, THQ hospital in Rohri was also given essential equipment for the labor room and gynecology ward, and essential medicines and nutritional supplements were provided to Sheikh Zaid Women and Children’s Hospital in Larkana.
The Director General of Health Sindh, Dr. Muhammad Juman Bahoto, received the consignment on behalf of the Sindh Health department. On the occasion, Dr. Sara Salman, head of WHO Sub Office Sindh, District Health Officers of Sukkur and Larkana Divisions, and Medical Superintendents of various hospitals were also present.
