WHO sets up medical health camps in Balochistan flood-affected areas

Islamabad: WHO Pakistan Representative Dr Palitha Mahipala is on a monitoring visit to the Medical Relief Camps in flood-affected areas of district Lasbela, as a part of a 3-day visit to hard-hit flood-affected districts in Balochistan. He visited district Lasbella to kickstart WHO Health Emergency Response through the establishment of 2 medical camps (mobile and fixed). One mobile medical camp is started in Goth Ilyas Oba 2 in Tehsil Lakrha. The area is the first place that is accessible to health teams. The Mobile camp will run for 2 weeks. The fixed camp is established in BHU Sukan.

The medical camps are fully equipped with basic diagnostic and treatment facilities. During Dr Mahipala’s visit on August 29, 2022, a high number of malaria, skin disease and diarrheal cases were observed in the OPDs. The suspected patients get screened for malaria through Rapid Diagnostic Testing and treatment. The people in the area welcomed the camps and highlighted the need for clean water, shelter and cooked food.

The Health camps will provide general OPD services catering to diarrheal, ARI, malaria and skin diseases. They will also ensure primary healthcare services including maternal and child healthcare services, nutrition, routine immunization and health education.

“The magnitude of physical and human cost is colossal. Our hearts are with people affected by this calamity. We have enhanced efforts to scale up emergency health service delivery to meet the immediate health needs of the affected population,” remarked WHO Pakistan Representative

As part of initial health response efforts, WHO has donated emergency relief medicines worth over USD 250,000 to flood-affected areas in Sindh and Balochistan.

WHO is coordinating with the Government of Pakistan to strengthen national flood health response efforts to prevent and control disease outbreaks as part of health emergency response through the provision of effective health relief and recovery to flood-affected populations.