UNICEF warns epidemic outbreak among flood hit children

ISLAMABAD, 13 December 2010 (APP): The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that winter will worsen the threats of epidemic against children inhabited in flood hit areas, who already suffer high rates of acute respiratory infections and malnutrition. “The coming cold months will sharply increase the numbers of respiratory infections and malnutrition, two of the biggest killers of Pakistani children”, said Daniel Toole, UNICEF’s Regional Director for South Asia while talking to APP on Monday said. He informed that as many as 126 new polio cases are reported this year compared to 89 in 2009 an enormous cause for concern especially as it had made significant strides towards eradicating polio. Daniel Toole said that Pakistan is one of the four polio endemic countries in the world and low ongoing coverage in areas experiencing difficult security in the north, over-crowding and poor sanitation as a result of the floods have exacerbated the threat for children. “This crisis is far from over. It has just evolved in very different ways from one part of Pakistan to the next and the humanitarian effort has had to adapt swiftly to reach children and women most in need as their needs change,” Daniel Toole said. “Although most people have returned to their home areas, many have returned to near total destruction with no homes, no crops, no food and no cash”, he added. The regional director said that in Northern areas, snow has fallen and they are delivering winter clothes and supplies to help families prepare for a harsh winter, while in the South slow receding waters have meant over a million lives are still on hold. …