The United Nations will begin its multi-million dollar humanitarian assistance programme in cooperation with Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in interior parts of Sindh from Sunday (today).
“The assistance has been divided into four cluster sectors including shelter, food, healthcare, and water and sanitation,” said John Ging, director of operations at the office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator while addressing a press conference after attending a meeting with PDMA officials of the Sindh chapter.
He said that the UN team was here in response to a call by President Asif Ali Zardari for humanitarian assistance and the UN was very much concerned over loss of life, property and damage to infrastructure, livestock and crop.
“The UN team’s presence will boost the moral of the government to rescue the rain-hit rural population,” he added.
The director said that 71,000 families need to be provided food on priority basis and that the campaign in this regard will be launched from Sunday in the affected areas.
Ging said that the UN’s sister agencies including UNICEF will ensure supply of one million medical kits.
“Presently, the UN and PDMA have worked out a strategy to utilise the stock of existing supplies which were not utilised last year,” he maintained.
On the occasion, Sindh Chief Secretary Raja Mohammed Abbas said that 70,000 tents and 180,000 bags of ration have been supplied to the affected people.
He said that so far, 172 people have died for one reason or the other and their families will be given reasonable compensation.
Abbas said that Rs 600 million have been released to all districts to meet their immediate financial needs.
“The army and navy are also playing a leading role to rescue people and provide them relief. We are planning a detailed survey with the help of the UN, PDMA, army and navy,” he added.
