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Delay in mosquito nets’ import from India risks health of flood affectees

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2 years ago

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  • Govt decides to import 62,00,000 mosquito nets from India.
  • Ministry awaits NOC from cabinet division for said import.
  • Around 41,000 malaria cases surface from flood relief camps.

ISLAMABAD: The purchase of mosquito nets from India has gotten difficult, officials said, as the National Ministry Of Health requires a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Cabinet Division.

Officials said that the delay in getting the NOC has increased apprehension as it was decided that the 6.2 million nets imported from India were meant to be sent to the flood-affected areas in Sindh and Punjab.

Authorities have shared that purchase of the mosquito nets from India will be done through the Global Fund, while the Ministry of Commerce has already issued the NOC.

As per the authorities, it will take around six to eight months to import mosquito nets from any country other than India, while local manufacturers can also produce good quality nets.

Meanwhile, the delay in the provision of mosquito nets has put the lives and well-being of people — particularly of those among Sindh’s flood-affected population — in jeopardy as over 300,000 people have suffered from malaria in the province this year, while 50 people have lost their lives.

According to the provincial health department, more than 364,000 people have fallen victim to the disease in Karachi from January till date which includes women, children, and the elderly affected.

Around 41,000 cases surfaced from relief camps for flood affectees, as per the health department. In 2022, malaria tests of over 2,534,000 were done across the province among which the most number of cases — approximately 51,341 — surfaced from Thatta, while 50,205 cases were reported in Larkana.

At least 8,752 malaria cases from all of Karachi’s districts were reported in 2022, while the least number of cases — around 2,052 — were registered in Sanghar. 

Meanwhile, there is a clear difference between the number of deaths due to malaria in Karachi reported by the health department and those by the director of general health.

According to the provincial health department’s report, 23 have died due to malaria in Sindh, while the DG health reported 30 deaths in district Dadu alone. On the other hand, an increase in cases of malaria and dengue is expected in the province due to the winter season.

Last month, a report published by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) stated that as many as eight million people in flood-hit areas need medical assistance as diseases continue to spread unabated.

The UN agency’s 100-day report mentioned that about 13.5 million people are in need of protection services while the floods have impacted the education of 3.5 million children. 

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FO admits that a boat capsized in Greece, killing four Pakistanis.

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1 week ago

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The deaths of four Pakistanis in a boat capsizing event close to the southern Greek island of Goudos have been verified by the Foreign Office.

The incident happened on Sunday and at least five illegal immigrants drowned as a result. According to Greek Coast Guards, 39 people were rescued after the wooden boat overturned, but 40 more are still unaccounted for.

According to a Foreign Office spokeswoman, the four Pakistani nationals were among those killed in the catastrophe. In order to help the remaining Pakistanis and repatriate the corpses of the deceased, the Pakistani Embassy in Athens has been in close communication with Greek authorities, she said.

Additional information was given by Aamir Aftab Qureshi, Pakistan’s ambassador to Greece, during a press conference. According to him, there were 80 Pakistanis on board the doomed boat, and efforts are still being made to find the people who are still missing.

He added that the overcrowding on the boat was a factor in the capsizing. There are worries over the safety of the missing people because a sizable portion of them are children. He stated that five boats carrying Pakistani nationals were traveling illegally from Libya.

The public was also informed by Ambassador Qureshi that the government will pay for the return flight of the accident victims’ bodies.

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Every office will have a biometric system installed by Lesco.

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2 weeks ago

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system in each office.

Details show that the LESCO had ordered the installation of biometric systems in all offices, including the divisions and the circle.

The installation of the biometric system at the headquarters resulted in an increase in attendance, as the LESCO CEO had stated.

The CEO of LESCO claimed that the biometric system has resolved the issues related to the fictitious overtime and off-days.

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Around 450 Pakistanis have successfully crossed into Lebanon from Syria, according to a briefing from the Foreign Office.

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2 weeks ago

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Approximately 450 Pakistanis, including 250 Zaireen, have successfully crossed into Lebanon from Syria, according to the spokesperson for the Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.

During her weekly briefing at the foreign office in Islamabad, she stated that Pakistan is pleased with the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on the Gaza Strip, which calls for an immediate ceasefire.

In addition, she expressed her satisfaction with the elimination of limits placed on UNRWA’s ability to carry out relief activities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

It was stated by her that Pakistan is demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities in Palestine, an end to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for those who are in urgent need, full support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and its mandated humanitarian activities, and medical assistance for those who are in urgent need.

Moreover, she stated that Pakistan emphasises the need for the international community to hold Israel accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity that it has committed in occupied lands.

The Israeli aggression against Syria, the illegitimate acquisition of Syrian territory, and the massive devastation of Syrian infrastructure as well as civilian and military sites are all topics that Pakistan is extremely worried about, according to the spokesperson for Pakistan.

According to her, this attack on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a serious violation of international law to the highest degree. By expressing our support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we are also expressing our opposition to the Israeli government’s attempt to acquire territory through coercion.

The resolution 497 of the United Nations Security Council, which declares the annexation of the Golan Heights by Israel to be null and illegal and to have no international legal impact, was reaffirmed by her organisation.

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