The number of flood-hit people dying due to food shortage and diseases is increasing because there is limited relief response from the government and the global community, it was stated in a report issued on Friday.
The report titled ‘Civil Society Flood Situation Report’ is prepared by a civil society network called the People’s Accountability Commission on Floods (PACF).
The 10-page report covers different aspects of the situation of the flood-affected communities of the province.
According to the report, the international humanitarian support for the flood affected communities is very limited. “The UN issued a flash appeal for $357 million. This appeal was made on September 18, 2011 in Rapid Response Plan led by UN agencies. Despite the passage of more than one and a half months, only 23 percent of the assessed funding requirements have been received,” the PACF stated in the report.
While discussing the limited support in the provision of shelter to the flood affected people, the PACF says that 1.5 million houses were damaged in the floods in Sindh. However, shelter support has been provided by the international community (tents and tarpaulins) to only 374,827 people – that is only 35 percent of the shelter support suggested in the Rapid Response Plan prepared for the flash appeal.
This means that 65 percent of the flood-affected communities are still living under the open sky. According to the report, almost all tents provided to the affected population are unsuitable for use during winter and this would result in more deaths and diseases. Tarpaulin sheets are never a substitute for proper and decent tents.
The government and international humanitarian communities have also failed to provide adequate support in terms of other important items that are part of shelter, for example blankets, kitchen sets, mats etc. More than 90 percent of the flood-hit people are still deprived of these items.
The PACF, quoting UN reports, says that three million flood-hit people remain highly vulnerable and are in need of immediate food assistance.
Reports of malnutrition are being received from the flood-affected areas, compounding an already dire nutrition situation in Sindh.
Only 18 percent of the overall food security appeal amount has been collected and humanitarian agencies are facing problems in providing support to the affected communities.
According to the report, millions of farmers intend to cultivate winter crops, especially wheat, on the land where flood water has receded. However, despite the announcements made by the federal and provincial governments, there has been no distribution of seeds and other inputs.
If these items are not provided to farmers within a week, they would be unable to cultivate wheat, causing more food insecurity in the province.
The PACF also expresses concern on the government and international humanitarian community’s limited support in terms of healthcare, despite the sharp increase in disease outbreaks in the flood-affected areas.
As days are passing by, cases of diarrhoea, skin diseases, malaria and acute respiratory infections are increasing.
On October 27, 2011, an outbreak of diarrhoea was reported in a camp in Sanghar district and three people died there.
Only nine percent funds have been received so far for healthcare against the total appeal of almost $46 million.
Support for sanitation and hygiene is also limited. Sixty-five percent of the affected communities do not have access to safe drinking water and 76 percent are deprived of sanitation facilities.
The process of water receding from the flooded areas is very slow as the government has failed to import dewatering machines despite the president’s instructions.
The PACF says that 60 percent of the flood-hit areas of Badin and 50 percent in other districts including Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot are still inundated.
The government’s early warning systems are also flawed and there is political favouritism in the distribution of relief goods among.
The federal and the provincial governments are violating international humanitarian standards of relief distribution by failing to ensure equality and transparency in the system.
There is no proper beneficiary registration, issuance of token etc. On the contrary, flood relief items are handed over to influential people of the ruling party. These people distribute relief among their preferred people and discriminate against political opponents.
