SWAT: World Health Organisation’s representative for Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala visited the flood-affected areas of Swat district on Thursday.

District health officer Dr Mohammad Saleem Khan accompanied him and his delegation in Swat. During the visit, Dr Mahipala handed over medicines to the Swat DHO for the flood victims and visited the health centres in Matta and Madyan areas.

He also administered polio vaccine to children and met the patients in the hospitals. The delegation was given a briefing on the flood disaster in Swat and the response and needs of the health department during the flood emergency.

On this occasion, Dr Mahipala said that the WHO had completed the rapid health assessment for 13 flood-affected districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that the WHO had been providing support to the health department in emergency response, including the supply of medicines, equipment and professional human resource services. The delegation also inaugurated the Emergency Operation Centre located at the DHO office, Swat.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2022