Outbreak and Crisis Response Appeal 2023

People in need: 20.6 million

People targeted: 9.5 million

Requirements: 70.8 million

Context

Pakistan is prone to natural and manmade disasters, including flooding. In 2022, severe flooding resulted in the displacement of over 600 000 people and caused significant damage to houses and infrastructure, as well as 2 000 health facilities - 13% of all health facilities in the country. Three million acres of crops and over 1.2 million livestock were destroyed, thereby gravely affecting food supplies. As a result, at least 6.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in flood-affected areas, access to health care is severely impeded and medicine stocks need to be entirely replenished. As water levels are receding, about 50% of the displaced population have returned to their places of origin but continue to suffer from poor access to safe water and sanitation, which exposes them to the risk of disease outbreaks.

Pakistan is currently seeing outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea (AWD), cholera, malaria, dengue and measles, whilst COVID-19 and diphtheria cases continue to be reported. Global acute malnutrition (GAM), which dangerously increases the risk of death, rates are above the emergency threshold of 15%, particularly among children. Pakistan also hosts over 2.6 million refugees from Afghanistan – accounting for the second largest refugee population in the world after Turkey – whose access to health care is poor.

Pakistan is one of only two remaining countries endemic to wild poliovirus, together with neighboring Afghanistan. Coordinated, cross-border activities are ongoing to urgently eradicate the disease. In 2022, 20 cases were reported nationally, all occurring in the same province; however, the risk of renewed spread nationally and internationally is magnified due to the recent floods affecting the country. Polio infrastructure continues to support flood relief efforts, while polio operations are being adapted in response to the crisis.

WHO launches funding appeal to help a record number of people in complex, intersecting health emergencies