Flood-hit areas across the country are susceptible to disease outbreak due to the lack of resources by the National Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Network (NHEPRN).
Health departments of the various provinces are already reporting cases of different diseases. Flood-hit areas of Punjab alone have reported 87 deaths. An outbreak of dengue, diarrhea, and eye and skin diseases are feared the most.
Approximately 2,482 different health cases have been reported across Sindh
- 64 cases of acute diarrhea
- 158 of diarrhea
- 38 of dysentery
- 613 of acute respiratory infection
- 149 of malaria
- 718 of skin diseases
- 220 of eye infections
- 20 of snakebites
- 502 of other disease
Approximately 15,812 different health cases have been reported in Punjab
- 5,239 cases of acute respiratory infection
- 682 of gastroenteritis
- 2,887 of common fever
- 6,565 of skin infections
- 439 of conjunctivitis
Approximately 147 different health cases have been reported in KPK
- 21 cases of acute diarrhea
- 48 of diarrhea
- 29 of dysentery
- 30 of acute respiratory infection
- 8 of skin diseases
- 4 of eye diseases
- 10 of malaria
- 5 of other diseases
According to National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) Dr. Sabina Durrani, the NHEPRN are unable to get funds allocated to function effectively. NHEPRN functions under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC).
When NDMA require financial support during a natural disaster, they request assistance from the prime minister. They are sometimes provided with free medicines from pharmaceutical companies and WHO. However, NHEPRN has no permanent body to request funds from.
Article source AFP