UNICEF: More children in Pakistan will die without immediate international support
UNICEF’s representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil warned on Friday, October 7th, in a press briefing in Geneva that more children in Pakistan will die without immediate international support, and revised funding appeal to US $173.5 million.
“Pakistan’s catastrophic floods have already claimed the lives of 615 children. Right now, almost 10 million children are now in need of immediate, lifesaving support. It is a staggering number; indeed the scale of need is daunting. And with a heavy heart, I must state that more children will die in the coming days and weeks if urgent action is not taken,” said Fadil.
“The situation on the ground is unlike anything we have seen before. With winter looming, needs are only increasing. Some families have now been living in derelict makeshift tents for more than eight weeks. Some have only tattered rags to shield themselves from the scorching sun. Children are surrounded by pools of stagnant water poisoned with fertilizers and feces, and swarming with diseases and viruses, sometimes meters away from where they sleep,” he continued.
“More than seven million children and women now need immediate access to nutrition services, while nearly four million children lack access to health services. 7.6 million children are more exposed to protection risks and two million children are out of school as a direct result of the floods,” UNICEF’s representative added.
