Millions still await food aid in flood-hit Pakistan

Grace Hammond

Donors must “step up to the plate” to help flood-ravaged Pakistan, an international aid agency warned today as the United Nations prepared to launch a huge new appeal.

The international community must inject more funds and effort to stop the spiralling crisis, Oxfam said, adding that only a fraction of people have received the help they need.

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The UN will launch the world’s biggest humanitarian appeal shortly as it seeks to at least treble the $460m (294m) raised so far.

Oxfam’s humanitarian director Jane Cocking said: “This is a crisis of a truly epic scale and it’s far from over yet. If the people that need help do not receive it, then disease and hunger could spiral.

“We desperately need donors to step up to the plate and inject urgent funding.

“These people have lost so much, but they still could lose more. Even today, people are drinking dirty and contaminated water straight out of the Indus river. Soon we will need to help them go home and restart their lives.”

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Oxfam said almost four million in need of food aid were yet to receive it and warned that farmers were set to miss the planting season, with water yet to recede in some areas, and tools washed away by the flood waters.

The UN said more than 70 per cent of the flood-affected population lacked access to safe drinking water, and more than 80 per cent lacked access to clean, functioning toilets.

The number of reported cases of acute diarrhoea and skin diseases has more than trebled in the past three weeks, while the number of reported cases of acute respiratory infections had quadrupled.

Ms Cocking continued: “The international community won’t have many chances to show solidarity with people caught up in Pakistan’s floods.

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“The UN appeal is one of them and they must seize on it to send a clear signal that they care about the millions affected by this disaster.

“In turn, aid agencies, must challenge themselves, and ensure they are doing their utmost to reach all the people that need it.

“Each day, we ask ourselves, are we doing enough? Could we do more? I’d urge all aid agencies to ask themselves the same questions.

“All of us need to be going at full throttle to have any chance of stemming this mounting crisis.”

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The UK aid appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has so far raised more than 54m.

Renewed appeals for international support have come with a warning from the US that the world will only be able to fund around 25 per cent of the “tens of billions” of dollars needed to rebuild Pakistan, meaning its government will have to make up the shortfall.

US envoy to Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said America would not put conditions on its assistance to the country but warned US Congress might not be generous if it felt that the country was not taxing its own citizens enough.

Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-collection rates in the world, something critics have pointed out in recent weeks as its leaders seeks international aid.

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The country’s economy survives on international assistance, and the floods are expected to slow economic growth further.

Monsoon rains triggered massive floods six weeks ago that have made some eight million people homeless.

To make a donation to the DEC Pakistan appeal people can call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, visit http://www.dec.org.uk or donate over the counter at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque.

Donations of 5 can also be made by texting the word GIVE to 70707.

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