The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warned that thousands of pregnant women uprooted by floods all over the country are at a heightened risk of death. The UNFPA estimates that nearly 500,000 women of the 21 million flood-affected people in the country are pregnant. Soon, some 1700 women will go into labour on a daily basis, and more than 250 of them will experience complications requiring lifesaving medical intervention. The situation is all the more alarming given that most flood victims do not have access to proper health services including skilled delivery assistance.
Noor Bano, 32, was anemic and exhausted when she made a 3-hour trek with two small children strapped to her. Bano took shelter beneath a bridge for two days without food or water. Thankfully, Bano was lucky enough to end up in a camp in Sukkur that's frequently visited by a United Nations Population Fund-supported medical team. When it was time, Farzani Sarki, the midwife came to help Bano deliver her sixth baby in the family's tent.
Not everyone is so lucky
The UN estimates that 320 women die for every 100,000 live births in Pakistan, during normal circumstances. This number could rise sharply in the flood-affected areas as women are exposed to trauma, malnutrition and poor hygiene. Since early in August, UNFPA has deployed obstetricians and midwives in 23 mobile teams and 14 health centres in various flood-affected areas.
UNFPA is currently seeking $12.6 million for relief and early recovery activities in the next 12 months. International donors, however, have only pledged $3.5 million to date. While UNFPA continues to support health authorities and non-governmental service providers in flood-hit areas, besides conducting various training courses for the people, there is more that still needs to be done. “We urgently need to scale up the reproductive health care for the flood victims,” said Dr Naseer Nizamani, UNFPA Assistant Representative in Pakistan. “The number of women who still lack assistance is enormous.”
Noor Bano, 32, was anemic and exhausted when she made a 3-hour trek with two small children strapped to her. Bano took shelter beneath a bridge for two days without food or water. Thankfully, Bano was lucky enough to end up in a camp in Sukkur that's frequently visited by a United Nations Population Fund-supported medical team. When it was time, Farzani Sarki, the midwife came to help Bano deliver her sixth baby in the family's tent.
Not everyone is so lucky
The UN estimates that 320 women die for every 100,000 live births in Pakistan, during normal circumstances. This number could rise sharply in the flood-affected areas as women are exposed to trauma, malnutrition and poor hygiene. Since early in August, UNFPA has deployed obstetricians and midwives in 23 mobile teams and 14 health centres in various flood-affected areas.
UNFPA is currently seeking $12.6 million for relief and early recovery activities in the next 12 months. International donors, however, have only pledged $3.5 million to date. While UNFPA continues to support health authorities and non-governmental service providers in flood-hit areas, besides conducting various training courses for the people, there is more that still needs to be done. “We urgently need to scale up the reproductive health care for the flood victims,” said Dr Naseer Nizamani, UNFPA Assistant Representative in Pakistan. “The number of women who still lack assistance is enormous.”
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