Govt seeks across-the-board medical help as floods crumble health system

• Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal asked for help from all over the country for the flood affected people.
• “[Flood-hit] People who are looking at 2/3 of the population who are not affected,” says Iqbal.
  
• Iqbal says that the government has also started sister district program.

ISLAMABAD: The government has called for medical assistance from all the people. A devastating flood has wreaked havoc and disrupted the country’s health system, putting people at risk of death. Diseases.

The death toll from the floods has reached 1,559, including 551 children and 318 women, excluding deaths from flood-related diseases. the floodThe latest report of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has stated.

“the people [suffering from floods] Now they are looking at 2/3 of the population which is not affected,” Minister for Planning, Development and Special Measures Ahsan Iqbal told a press conference along with military officials on Tuesday.

The minister appealed to the doctors to set up medical camps wherever possible for the flood-affected people and also appealed to the unaffected population to donate generously for the rehabilitation works.

Iqbal appealed to the health sector to ensure government support as diseases are spreading in many areas and are expected to increase.

Record monsoon rains and snowmelt in northern Pakistan triggered floods that affected about 33 million people in the South Asian country of 220 million, damaging homes, crops, bridges, roads and livestock. Estimated at $30 billion..

The country received 391 mm (15.4 in) of rain, or some 190% more than the 30-year average, during July and August, a monsoon spell that started early and ran ahead of the normal timeline. In the southern province of Sindh, rainfall reached 466 percent of the average.

Sister District Program

Iqbal said that the federal government has also launched a sister district programme, under which a district with sufficient resources will be allowed to adopt a flood-affected district.

The adoptive district will provide its health facilities to the flood affected district for one month – to bridge the gap in health facilities.

“The federal government is asking the provinces to adopt the district programme, especially in Punjab. The provinces should open the doors of their resources to help the people. It will be of great help to the country,” he said.

Assembling the mother-child nutrition pack

The Planning Minister said that the government has decided that through the Higher Education Commission (HEC) all the vice-chancellors will be directed to give the task of making mother and child nutrition packs to the students of their universities.

Iqbal said that out of the 2.5 million students enrolled in Pakistan’s universities, the government aims to collect 2 million maternal and child nutrition packs, the details of which will be released soon.

“Our aim is to extend the nutrition pack to help mothers and children, who are dying for food and whose lives are at risk,” the planning minister said.

He said that this is a great opportunity for the youth to show their skills and help the flood affected people.