31 Aug 2010
UNICEF and World Food Programme chiefs visit Pakistan's flood
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Arriving by helicopter in the remote Muzzafargarh district of Punjab in Pakistan UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake and World Food Programme Executive Director Josette Sheeran, witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of the recent flooding in Pakistan. More than 17 million people and one fifth of the country have been affected, making it one of the largest humanitarian crises in decades. This region in particular is one of the worst affected parts of the country.
Mr. Lake and Ms. Sheeran travelled to the small village of Gujrat to get a close look at the crisis. Here a local high school has been turned into an emergency relief centre for hundreds of families, mainly women and children. Many of
them had been trudging along roads or wading through dangerous flood waters for days.
UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake:
"We are doing our very best to get the clean water, and the sanitation and all of that, and food from World Food Program as best as we can."
The two agency heads toured the school and saw families receiving a wide range of assistance including food, oral rehydration salts and zinc tablets. Mr. Lake and Ms. Sheeran handed out food and hygiene kits to women and
children. At the same time, brand new water storage tanks and a waste management system were being installed in the school. And Health education sessions were being taught by female health workers. Nearly 8.6 million children, roughly 50 per cent of the total affected population have been hit by the flooding. Some 3.5 million children are at risk of contracting deadly water-borne diseases. Mr. Lake and Ms. Sheeran saw some severely malnourished babies in the medical room with mothers who were unable to breastfeed and babies who had been without food and water for days as they looked for relief from the flooding.
Kaneez, mother:
"We went for two days without eating anything and we were staying out in the open with no roof and no house. My daughter is also suffering. She has been too weak to nurse."
Yet in the midst of this devastating crisis Mr. Lake and Ms. Sheeran were able to witness the resilience and remarkable spirit of many of the children, who took great pride in showing their guests some of drawings they had
recently made.
UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake:
"So many pictures of dolls. It is such a small thing, all the pictures of dolls but these are dolls that they left behind. And so even if a small thing, they represent something that is heartbreaking in so many ways. Their memories of the flowers and the fruits and the dolls and all of that."
To return the favour Mr.Lake put on a show for them, using his famous eye brow trick.
Reflecting on his mission Mr. Lake felt strongly that the international community needed to step up their support for the victims of the ongoing floods in Pakistan.
This is Anja Baron reporting for UNICEF Television.
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