Millions Of Pakistani Children Living Next To Contaminated, Stagnant Floodwaters

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that up to four million children are still living near contaminated and stagnant floodwaters, risking their survival and wellbeing more than four months after catastrophic floods wreaked havoc across Pakistan.

Acute respiratory infections among children have increased dramatically in the flood-affected areas, and an estimated 1.5 million children are still in need of life-saving nutrition interventions. The number of cases among children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the flood-affected areas monitored by UNICEF almost doubled between July and December, as compared to the same time period during 2021.

UNICEF’s current appeal of $173.5m to provide life-saving support to women and children affected by last year's floods is only 37% funded. “Children living in Pakistan’s flood-affected areas have been pushed to the brink,” Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF's Representative in Pakistan, lamented.

“The rains may have ended, but the crisis for children has not. Nearly 10 million girls and boys are still in need of immediate, life-saving support and are heading into a bitter winter without adequate shelter. Severe acute malnutrition, respiratory and waterborne diseases, coupled with the cold, are putting millions of young lives at risk,” Fadil said.