Pakistan flood crisis as bad as African famines, UN says

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

Unicef survey shows almost a quarter of children under five are malnourished in Sindh province, six months after floods

Declan Walsh in Islamabad | Thursday January 27 2011 09.56 GMT

A "humanitarian crisis of epic proportions" is unfolding in flood-hit areas of southern Pakistan where malnutrition rates rival those of African countries affected by famine, according to the United Nations.

In Sindh province, where some villages are still under water six months after the floods, almost one quarter of children under five are malnourished while 6% are severely underfed, a Unicef survey has found.

"I haven't seen malnutrition this bad since the worst of the famine in Ethiopia, Darfur and Chad. It's shockingly bad," said Karen Allen, deputy head of Unicef in Pakistan.

The survey reflects the continuing impact of the massive August floods, which affected 20 million people across an area the size of England, sweeping away 2.2m hectares of farmland.

The figures were alarming, Neva Khan, of Oxfam, said.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/27/pakistan-flood-crisis-african-famines

[sabrina 1]

1. It is a shame how little coverage and news we get of that

human catastrophe.

'One quarter of children under five are malnourished while 6% are severely underfed.

I remember that Dr. Gupta went there, but he didn't stay very long. I guess politics is more important than human beings in this sad world.

Thanks for the post, Turborama, I wish the news was better ~ :cry:

[Turborama]

3. Yes, it's also a shame the reactions (or lack thereof) this news engenders

Here's a slideshow of some survivors 6 months on: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/01/2011125141955678750.html

[cosmicone]

2. Yet, Pakistan is splurging on F16 fighters, AWACs, P3 Orion marine aircraft

and assorted military and nuclear hardware which cannot be used in the war on terror.