Pakistan flood victims face malaria outbreak

Plan is distributing 18,5000 mosquito nets to help protect children and their families from malaria, as mosquitos thrive in stagnant flood water.

Plan teams are preparing to distribute thousands of mosquito nets as more than 2,000,000 cases of malaria are expected in flood-hit Pakistan.

Around 195,000 cases of malaria have already been reported in the country's southern Sindh province, where water levels remain high.

Over the coming days Plan will distribute 18,500 mosquito nets to help protect children and families from the disease-carrying insects that are thriving in stagnant flood water.

Flooding persists

"Severe flooding persists in parts of Sindh and rescue operations are continuing," said Plan’s country director in Pakistan Haider Yaqub.

"Floodwaters have created a large number of small islands on which people remain marooned alongside livestock."

Families are returning home in the northern Punjab province but they need food, water, medicines and shelter.

"Standing water remains in some areas of the province," said Mr Yaqub. "Particularly along the riverbeds and is not expected to recede quickly."

"A combination of relief and early recovery support continues to be required, in addition to monitoring the welfare of those returning."

Cesspools of disease

Among the most at risk are 400,000 pregnant women, with 45,000 deliveries expected every month, many without access to trained birth attendants.

"The stagnant water is acting as cesspools of disease and obviously the most vulnerable are children and women," said Mr Yaqub.

Nutrition is also a grave concern, particularly for pregnant women and toddlers, as people rely on food aid.

Plan's flood response

Plan’s emergency response to the floods disaster has so far included providing cooked meals to more then 256,600 people, shelter for more than 230,000 people, water tanks for 3000 homes and health and hygiene kits to 2750 families.

"The first cases of malaria should be a wake-up call for the UN, the Pakistan health authorities and international non-governmental organisations,” said Plan’s Disaster Response Policy Coordinator Dr Unni Krishnan.

"Without a robust public health system, the number of cases and fatalities will build up significantly."

Please support Plan's emergency work – make a donation to the Pakistan floods appeal today.