Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has dedicated maximum resources for rescue and relief operations in flood affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, Balochistan and South Punjab.
The PAF helicopter fleet was actively participating in operations for airdrop of ration, medicine and critical supplies in the area whereas the PAF personnel were also extending all-out support to civil administration in the rehabilitation process of the flood affectees, a PAF media release said.
Deputy Chief of Air Staff Administration, Air Marshal Hamid Rashid Randhawa inspected PAF relief camp near Hyderabad.
He expressed his satisfaction on the facilities being provided to the flood affectees. He also lauded the professionalism of PAF Emergency Response Teams for taking prompt actions and continued relief operations in far-flung areas.
Earlier in the day, Air Officer Commanding Northern Air Command Air Vice Marshal Hakim Raza also oversaw relief activities conducted by Saidu Sharif Dett at Arak, Tehsil Matta. Area locals and civil administration appreciated PAF’s relief and rehabilitation efforts.
To alleviate the sufferings of flood affectees, PAF Emergency Response Teams distributed 1,853 dry ration packs, 1,960 water bottles and 11,860 cooked food packets during the last 24 hours. Additionally 3,644 patients were also treated by PAF medical teams at field medical camps established by Pakistan Air Force.
According to the UN Population Fund, 6.4 million flood victims need humanitarian assistance. It said about 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected areas, including 73,000 expected to deliver in the next month, need maternal health services.
Sindh health officials have also raised concerns over the outbreak of waterborne diseases in areas hit by recent record-breaking floods.
According to a report released by Sindh health department, Diarrhoea, skin diseases and eye infections are spreading at relief camps set up by the government across the province.
More than 134,000 diarrhoea cases were reported from Sindh in the past two month, said a report rexeased by the health officials on Saturday.
Similarly, 44,832 malaria cases were found during monsoon rains since June this year, the official stats show.
It added that 101 snake-bite cases have also been reported.
