UN warns 3.5 million children at water-borne disease risk in flood-hit Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - As millions of people struggle to wade through country’s worst floods in the last 80 years, the United Nations (UN) has warned that nearly 3.5 million children in Pakistan are at risk from water-borne diseases.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesman Maurizio Giuliano warned that Pakistan was on the brink of a “second wave of death” unless more unds were organised.

“Up to 3.5 million children are at high risk of deadly water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea-related, such as watery diarrhoea and dysentery,” The Daily Times quoted Giuliano, as saying.

“We fear we’re getting close to the start of seeing a second wave of death if not enough money comes through, due to water-borne diseases along with lack of clean water and food shortages,” he added.

Giuliano said that nearly six million children were at the risk of water borne diseases, and added that the World Health Organisation (WHO) is preparing itself to assist up to 140,000 people in case of cholera outbreak.

Several flood survivors are already believed to have died from cholera and other related diseases.

According to the UN, 1,600 people have died in the floods, while the Pakistan government has put the death toll to 1,384. (ANI)