Over 47,000 pregnant women in shelter camps across Pakistan's Sindh

ANI

Islamabad, September 4

More than 47,000 pregnant women affected by the floods in Pakistan are in shelter camps across Sindh province, local media citing the provincial health minister reported on Sunday.

Sindh Health Minister Azra Pechuho has shared statistics of women affected by the flood. She said hundreds of thousands of people have contracted various diseases after the floods.

"More than 1.34 lakh cases of diarrhoea and 44,000 cases of malaria have been reported in the province," she added, as quoted by Dawn.

On August 30, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a sexual and reproductive health agency, said that at least 6.5 lakh pregnant women, of whom 73,000 were expected to deliver this month across the country, in the flood-affected areas were in dire need of maternal health service.

Pechuho further said over a lakh skin-related diseases, 101 snake bites and 500 dog bites have been reported so far among flood affectees, Dawn newspaper reported.

The UN agency had also warned that many women and girls were at an increased risk of gender-based violence as almost one million houses were damaged in the floods that spelled suffering for millions across Pakistan.

"Up to 73,000 women expected to deliver in September will need skilled birth attendants, newborn care, and support," the agency had said as quoted by Dawn.

It added that pregnancies and childbirth cannot wait for emergencies or natural disasters to be over as this is when a woman and baby are vulnerable and need the most care.

Pakistan, this year has faced unprecedented floods, which have affected nearly 33 million people in the country and left tens of thousands of people displaced. Due to internal displacement, more than 5 lakh people are currently living in relief camps across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Punjab.

#Pakistan