Supporting millions impacted by Pakistan flooding

ByUnited Nations Office for Project Services

Supporting millions impacted by Pakistan flooding

With funding from the World Bank and in partnership with the Sindh government of Pakistan, UNOPS is supporting the Pakistan Flood Humanitarian Assistance. Over 33 million people in Pakistan have been deeply impacted by catastrophic flooding that took an estimated 1,700 lives and left nearly 8 million displaced. Over 20 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.

“The unprecedented scale of the flooding exposes Pakistan’s high vulnerability to climate change. Now, the country faces cascading crises as it battles rising prices at the global level and economic challenges that preceded this disaster,” said Charles Callanan, Director of the UNOPS Multi-Country Office in Sri Lanka.

With over $7 million in funding from the World Bank, UNOPS is assisting the government with procuring 3 million mosquito nets and 1 million tents. To date, 25,000 tents and 2 million mosquito nets have been delivered to Sindh’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

”In a time of dire need, UNOPS was instrumental in supporting relief efforts. Their know-how of emergency bidding, global markets, transport, and delivery options, and global specification of different items was outstanding”, Abed Khalil – Sector Leader, World Bank.

“UNOPS worked closely with counterparts and deployed local and global networks to deliver results on the ground in record time. Their support truly represented an important milestone to the affected communities on the route towards recovery from these devastating floods,” said Abed Khalil, Sector Leader, of the World Bank..

With one-third of the country under water at some point during the crisis, standing flood waters continue to be reported across Sindh and other districts of Pakistan. This has brought high cases numbers of malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, skin infections, and dengue fever. The UNOPS-procured supplies will help government authorities respond to some of the flood-related health challenges.

“Looking ahead, it is critical that the country gets all the support it needs to help build its resilience to the shocks of climate change. UNOPS stands in solidarity with the government and partners, ready to support the tough task ahead,” said Charles Callanan.