As the nationally coordinated efforts for the provision of relief and subsequent rehabilitation of flood-affected people have been accelerated at all levels, there still needs much to protect flood victims from water-borne diseases and ensure their rehabilitation.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) was the first among other international organizations that had launched an emergency response in early July. The IRC response has so far supported over 300,000 individuals and aims to assist 1.5 million people in the flood-affected districts in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Punjab.
An Early Needs Identification (ENI) assessment carried out by IRC and its partners indicates that the immediate reported needs by communities are cash assistance, food items, protection, and health services.
“Currently, IRC is directing its efforts in 16 districts of Sindh, Balochistan, KP, and Punjab. The ambit of our protection services is further supplemented by the provision of integrated services of multipurpose cash support and psychological social support sessions to individuals, families, and communities,” said Shabnam Baloch, Country Director of the IRC Pakistan, while sharing details of the IRC’s ongoing and future programming for displaced people.
She said that the IRC response has so far supported nearly 300,000 individuals and emphasized that displaced families, particularly women and girls, remain a priority along with groups that have been economically and socially marginalized.
Assessments by the UN indicate that Pakistan could see as many as 2.7 million malaria cases in the 32 worst-hit districts by January 2023, and 5.74 million more people are at risk from famine.
The IRC Country Director observed though the flood water levels are receding, the woes of those affected are compounding. “Therefore, responding to this colossal calamity is a collective responsibility and we need to step up our combined efforts.”
Shabnam Baloch said that IRC is supporting communities with food rations, household items, and dignity kits. In addition to this in the intervention districts, IRC is also establishing medical camps, safe spaces and arranging psychological social support sessions along with the provision of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.
The IRC emergency response program is now being scaled up through a multilateral donor base. On-ground activities are being supported by 9 local partner organizations.
Nearly 33 million people in Pakistan have been affected by catastrophic floods, the loss of human life has risen to 1,700 people, hundreds of thousands of homes have been damaged, over a million of livestock have perished and millions of acres of crops are ruined.
Source: Pro Pakistan