Pakistan: Flood-stricken children's vulnerability increases because of politics and negligence of authorities
Darja Merkina
The current floods are having a detrimental effect on children’s health due to the potential outbreak of endemic
waterborne diseases. The UN Office for the Co-Ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesman, Maurizio Giuliano,
has confirmed that 3.5 million children are affected by endemic watery diarrhoea and dysentery. The shortage of clean
water and malnourishment further enhances the chances of contracting endemic skin diseases such as scabies,
conjunctivitis, endemic respiratory infections such as pneumonia and mosquito-transmitted diseases such as malaria.
The children require sustained medical treatment as their immune systems are weakening every day. According to a report
by the World Health Organisation 3.7 million children under the age of five years in the flooded areas are expected to
contract severe diarrhoea and around 80,000 are expected to be born malnourished within the coming six months. Despite
efforts of the international health organisations to cope with this situation, the authorities have been delaying the
supply of food, shelter, medical treatment and most importantly clean water.
Furthermore, the WHO report states that children at risk of contracting waterborne diseases and children, who have
already contracted such diseases, need immediate attention by the health authorities. However, the authorities appear
less and less able to assist those in need and the 759,952 children, which require intravenous fluids as they are too
sick to take the food orally, will face health issues, which may then result in the contraction of lethal diseases such
as cholera and severe diarrhoea. A vicious circle will result, which will only be halted if more efficient aid comes
internally.
Nevertheless, instead of attempting to improve the internal aid infrastructure, the irrigation department’s bribes to
increase the provision of water to courses soar. Thereby the officials are creating an artificial shortage of water and
contributing to the destruction of cash crops in flood affected regions. The Chairman of the Sindh chapter of the
Farmers Organisation Council (FOC) Javed Ali Junejo blamed the authorities for the resulting famine due to the
deliberate inadequate supply of water to the agricultural areas.
Most importantly, the supply of clean water to the flood-stricken regions is essential in order to prevent deadly
waterborne and communicable diseases. Efforts by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) have been made to fly over
clean water from India and the installation of Spanish water purification equipment is in progress. These developments
have been appreciated by the people, who previously have been drinking unclean water; however, this help is insufficient
to cover the needs of the flood victims. The government has been highly criticised for not being able to provide quick
and efficient help to the flooded regions. Oxfam's country director in Pakistan, Neva Khan said that communities desperately needed clean water, latrines and hygiene
supplies, but the resources currently available covered only a fraction of what is required.
The slow deliveries of food, delays in water supply and the continuous danger of rising flood levels result in public
infuriation with the government, which can easily develop into an inclination or even an affiliation with the radical
militants. The people are helpless and are blaming the government for having abandoned them and most importantly, the
most vulnerable members in their families, their children.
The impact of the fury of the people will be felt by the whole Pakistani population. On the one hand, it no longer seems
improbable that a military may coup take place. Recently, fears have been expressed that the army might overthrow
President Zardari. The editor of the weekly Friday Times, Najam Sethi, said: "The powers that be, that is the military
and bureaucratic establishment, are mulling the formation of a national government, with or without the PPP (the ruling
Pakistan People's party). I know this is definitely being discussed. There is a perception in the army that you need
good governance to get out of the economic crisis and there is no good governance."
On the other hand, looting and people turning against each other in this desperate situation spurs the increase of
lawlessness. "The immediate risk is one of food riots," said Marie Lall, an Asia analyst. "There is already great
resentment in Swat and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where people had to be cleared during the government offensive. Now
there is the threat of social unrest as various factions, families and ethnic groups compete with each other in the
event of a breakdown in government." In this desperate situation, children are most severely affected by the
lawlessness, where the principle of the "survival of the toughest" is the only existing principle.
In any event, social unrest or military intervention will shift the focus away from the children, who despite having
survived the immediate effect of the flooding, are now facing an even higher risk of dying from the endemic waterborne
disease. Therefore, it is important that the internal political situation is kept separate from efforts to tackle the
humanitarian effects of the disaster. Just as the opposition leader Sharif said in a joint news conference: "Politics at
this time is haram (forbidden by Islam),"
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human
rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
ENDS