he United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) stressed the need for providing healthcare facilities to almost 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected areas in Pakistan.
In a statement, the UNFPA said that it estimated that almost 650,000 pregnant women in the flood-affected areas require maternal health services to ensure a safe pregnancy and childbirth.
“Up to 73,000 women expected to deliver next month will need skilled birth attendants, newborn care, and support,” says the UN agency.
In addition to this, many women and girls are at an increased risk of gender-based violence (GBV) as almost 1 million houses have been damaged.
“Pregnancies and childbirth can’t wait for emergencies or natural disasters to be over. This is when a woman and baby are vulnerable and need the most care. UNFPA is on the ground, working with partners, to ensure that pregnant women and new mothers continue receiving life-saving services even under the most challenging conditions,” says UNFPA Pakistan Representative Dr Bakhtior Kadirov.
