SUKKUR, Oct 18 (APP):The World Health Organization (WHO), representative in Pakistan, Dr Palitha Mahipala has said that the WHO is supporting health service deliveries in Sindh flood affected areas by supporting the Sindh health department by providing essential medicines, medical equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements as well as renovating and refurbishing damages health infrastructure in the province.
He said this while addressing a medicines and essential supplies handing over ceremony to the Sindh health department during a ceremony at Sukkur IBA University, said a release here on Tuesday.
Director General (DG), Health, Sindh, Dr Muhammad Juman Bahoto received the consignment on behalf of Sindh Health department. Dr Sara Salman head of WHO Sindh, District Health Officers of Sukkur and Larkana Divisions, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO), Muhammad Dital Kalhoro, Medical Superintendents of various hospitals were also present on the occasion.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala while addressing the ceremony said that the floods and rain emergency has caused widespread losses to the lives and property and the most affected area is health infrastructure. He said 2000 health facilities have been damaged which is 12 percent of total health facilities in the province.
Dr Palitha said that the WHO will continue to support the health department. He said the main focus is to control spread of malaria, water borne disease and to establish Nutrition Stabilization Centers (NSC) to mitigate the effects of malnourishment in children and in this regard 19 new Nutrition Stabilization Centers are being established in the province.
While Speaking on the occasion DG (Health), Sindh, Dr Muhammad Juman Bahoto thanked WHO for active role in relief and rehabilitation efforts for the flood affected people in Sindh. He said that with the WHO support the Sindh health department has been able to establish many health camps and reached areas and people still under water.
He said the health department has established camps to cater to over 10 million affected people in the province with the support from WHO.
On this occasion THQ hospital Rohri was also given essential equipment for the labor room and gyne ward.
Earlier WHO has also donated two water purification plants to DHQ Kambar Shahdadkot and Civil Hospital Dadu, which can purify 400 liters of water in one hour each.
The water purification plants would provide clean drinking water to not only patients at the hospital but also people in the areas.
