France allocates $3.27m to support UNICEF’s humanitarian response in flood-hit areas of Sindh

Celina Ali

Islamabad: France has allocated three point two seven million US dollars to support UNICEF’s humanitarian response in flood-affected areas of Sindh.

In a statement, Ambassador of France to Pakistan, Nicolas Galey said this vital funding will strengthen primary healthcare and immunization services in most affected districts in Sindh, targeting 1.9 million children and women.

He said Sindh province was particularly hard hit by last year’s floods. Approximately 14.5 million people were affected and almost 1,000 health facilities were damaged or destroyed.

Communities and health workers were displaced, while medical supplies and services were damaged and disrupted.

Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil, in a statement, said the onset of monsoon exacerbates health risks for children and women in flood-affected areas.

He said spread of diseases, such as malaria, dengue and Acute Watery Diarrhoea are a particular concern.

He further said this generous and important funding from France will enable the UNICEF to expand critical healthcare and strengthen immunization services during a time of great need.

He said international cooperation and strong partnerships are key to urgently address the climate crisis, find scalable solutions, and protect the lives of children and the most vulnerable communities.