Two months after the devastating earthquake hit Pakistan and caused human casualties amounting to around 80.000 victims, health and humanitarian situation in that south east Asian country still needs eminence efforts and support from the international community to help national authorities in their struggle to recover from the aftermath of the earthquake especially, in the most affected areas.

The World Health Organization, one of the leading international organizations that first responded to the emergency, continues its role to meet the health needs of the injured people who had lost their homes, income and bread earners, and to support the health authorities in rehabilitating the health facilities that were totally or partly damaged and reconstructing the health sector that was badly affected.

In this context, a high rank WHO delegation consisting of Dr J. W. Lee, the WHO Director General and Dr Hussein A. Gezairy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean and Dr Ala Din Alwan, Representative of the Director General for Health Action in Crisis is officially visiting Pakistan from 11 to 12 December 2005.

Upon their arrival, the delegation will pay a field visit to the earthquake affected areas to estimate on the ground what have been implemented the past two months and what is the current health situation in these areas to be able to evaluate the needs and humanitarian relief and assistance needed in the coming phase.

On the second day of the visit, the delegation will be received by H.E the prime Minister of Pakistan to discuss future actions. The delegation will also meet the leadership of the ministry of health to discuss the plan of action on health sector development.

The field visit includes Balakot and Muzzafarabad cities and the centers of health relief activities. T he delegation will also meet some of the earthquake victims in the Pakistani International Military Services hospital.

In the framework of coordination with other UN agencies and International organizations currently working in Pakistan, the delegation will meet with the UN team for further coordination of relief operations. Before departure, the delegation in participation with the local authorities will held a press conference to disclose details of the current situation and respond to the media queries.