Islamabad, 31 August 2022 (TDI): Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Pakistan, is on an inspection visit to the Medical Relief Camps in flood-affected parts of district Lasbela.

This visit is a part of a three-day visit to hard-hit flood-affected districts in Balochistan. He went to the Lasbella district to launch the WHO Health Emergency Response by establishing two medical camps (mobile and fixed).

At Tehsil Lakrha, a mobile medical camp has been established in Goth Ilyas Oba 2. The area is the first point of contact for medical personnel. The mobile camp will last two weeks. A specified camp has been created in BHU Sukan.

The medical camps are adequately furnished with the most fundamental facilities for diagnosis and care. On August 29, 2022, when Dr. Mahipala visited, a significant number of instances of diarrhea, skin conditions, and malaria were seen in the OPDs.

Rapid Diagnostic Testing is used to diagnose and treat suspected patients. The locals welcomed the camps and emphasized the importance of having access to cooked food, clean water, and shelter.

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The health camps will offer general OPD services for skin, malaria, ARI, and diarrheal illnesses. Additionally, they will make sure that basic healthcare services are provided, such as nutrition, routine vaccinations, and health education.

In this context, the WHO Representative remarked that “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.”

WHO has provided flood-affected districts in Sindh and Balochistan with emergency relief medicines worth more than USD 250,000 as part of its early health response activities.

Through the provision of efficient health relief and recovery to flood-affected populations, WHO is working in coordination with the Government of Pakistan.

The objective is to boost national flood health response efforts to prevent and control disease outbreaks as part of the health emergency response.

Dr. Palitha Mahipala visited Kech district in Balochistan, which is one of the badly flood-affected areas. He met with Commissioner Makran and discussed flood response as well as WHO support.

During the Kech visit, the WHO Pakistan Representative committed to helping Primary Healthcare services, maternity and nutrition stabilization centers, EPI static sites, malaria, and cholera diagnosis, and providing immunization.

It is pertinent to note that WHO has accelerated efforts to provide coordinated, comprehensive, and sustained health response in flood-affected areas.

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