NEW YORK, 27 August 2009: With many health centers in north-western Pakistan having been destroyed or looted during recent clashes between Government forces and militants, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) Thursday expressed apprehension about supporting the 1,5 million uprooted people returning to their homes.
– We are still very much concerned about the possibility of being able to supply [returnees] with the necessary support in health, Eric Laroche, WHO Assistant Director-General, said.
He expressed relief that there have been no outbreaks of epidemics, attributing this to the early warning system in place on the ground.
– The problem now is that these people are going back home and we need to reinstitute these types of surveillance systems and early warning systems in these areas of return, Dr. Laroche said, adding that this will be a “major challenge.”
WHO, he said, needs 35 million US dollar to respond to the health crisis and recovery in northwest Pakistan.
According to the Pakistani Government, almost 90 per cent of the 1,1 million people in the Swat district – which has an overall population of 1,7 million – who were driven out by fighting have since returned to their homes.
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