Pakistan Floods: UN appeal only 33% funded

Against the backdrop of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s visit to devastated
areas of Pakistan, international aid agency Oxfam said it hopes visit will draw attention to the limited funds committed to the rapidly escalating crisis. 

Donors have shown a lack of leadership, Oxfam said, and have failed to respond with anything like the speed or on the scale warranted by a crisis of this magnitude. The agency hopes Mr. Ban Ki Moon’s visit will encourage serious and tangible commitments from the world's richest governments.
 
“The speed with which the situation is deteriorating is frightening," said Neva Khan, Oxfam's country director in Pakistan. "Huge swathes of the country remain underwater, and we are extremely concerned about the risk of diseases such as malaria, cholera and dengue fever. 

"Communities desperately need clean water, latrines and hygiene supplies, but the resources currently available cover only a fraction of what is required.  We hope that Mr. Ban Ki Moon’s visit to Pakistan will inspire the world's wealthiest countries to respond more quickly to this grave humanitarian crisis. “

Almost 20 million people are now affected by the floods in Pakistan according to latest figures. The UN's appeal, launched this week, is just 33 per cent funded. 

Oxfam and partners are mounting a response across in four provinces Pakistan - Khyber Pakhtoonkkhwa (formally NWFP), Sindh, Kashmir and Punjab. So far the agency has reached more than 100,000 people with clean water and helped local groups evacuate 80,000 stranded people.

Affected communities need clean water and sanitation facilities, hygiene kits, jerry cans and buckets, and mobile health clinics. 

Agencies such as Oxfam are doing their best to scale up their operations to respond to the needs, but the resources currently available cover only a fraction of what is required. Water, sanitation and hygiene needs are currently just 10 per cent funded. The health sector is only seven per cent funded.

Oxfam has been in Pakistan since 1973. We support local partners and work with government authorities to improve the livelihoods of those living in poverty, and provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by disasters and conflict.

For more information and interviews please contact:
Mubashar Hasan in Pakistan on +923085557219 or mhasan@oxfam.org.uk
Karen Palmer, Oxfam Canada 613-240-3047 or karenp@oxfam.ca