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Pakistan: fears for children born in destructive floods

family of eight built their shelter from furniture and sheets of cloth, all they could salvage from the flooded home in village of Rijepur, near Khairpur Nathan Shah in southwestern province of Sindh.

Holding her 24-day-old baby Shumaila in her arms, Solangi said she was worried about her newborn. who she is took from the hospital when it was raining because she couldn’t afford to pay for her medications. Now she and her five others children hungry, sick and wary of snakes that also looking for for food and higher Earth. Her husband is a daily wage worker, unable to work.

“All those who who can afford left this village, but we’re still here because we can’t afford to go anywhere. It’s all about money- she said. We are helpless. people. I also sick, and for the third month I have a fever and a throat infection. We can’t even afford buy some drugs.”

About 10% of The country’s health facilities have been affected by the floods, WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr. Palita Gunaratna Mahipala, said on Monday. He said that especially concerned for 1.2 million pregnant women who among hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

Solangi may have survived her baby birth but she knows the lane of land between flood no water place for child. Though she said she felt safer there than in a nearby relief camp that can only be reached by boat.

“There is nothing in relief camp,” she said. “People are helpless. They are not give anything to people. Better live here,” she said.

“Malaria of size of the epidemic’

In Pakistan, others like Solangs survive on rations dropped by aid workers while waiting for the waters recede. About 10 families got together with solangi on band of land, which in some points is only 15 feet wide, or less than five meters.

Flies swarm around children’s faces when they sleep, and this hard to avoid mosquitoes that pose a threat of malaria, which can cause fever, flulike symptoms and sometimes death.

“A lady came and promised that they would give us a mosquito nets but she never came backSolangi said. – I am still waiting for what. They are also registered my name, but she did not return.”

Mahipala said the WHO is watching for “malaria”. of scale of the epidemic” and that cases of typhoid and infections of leather, eyes and the airways became more common.

“We fear that the situation will worsen with greater humanitarian and public health impact, especially in Sindh is like water moves to the south of country,” he said.

WHO estimates that about 634,000 people live in camps for displaced persons, but this number may be higher because it’s too hard access some areas.

“We are poor and cannot go out of this is area’

On the dirty lane children mingle with livestock families rescued from the flood and having fun splashing in the water that now covers them small village.

May Halima, 70 years old, watch over them, but especially when they are sleeping. She worries the younger children forget where they are and accidentally fall into the water that lies just a few feet from their beds.

“We keep our eyes on our children after sunset. They might fall down in water, believing they are alive in their old house. We must take care of them,” Halima said.

Halima told CNN she has witnessed Pakistan’s harsh rainy season throughout her life, but this one of the worst.

Pakistan on Front line of climate crisis, challenging with line of extreme weather events in recent months, since record heat waves to devastating floods.

“This area was hit flood four times in my life but I remember three of them. But this time the situation was aggravated by heavy rains. The water level wasn’t that high in in past” Halima said.

She worries about the future but doesn’t think too much about her damaged home “It’s useless to cry for it now,” she said.

She and Solangi more worries children as well as how they will survive it ordeal.

“We must save food for our children,” Halima said. – God can help us.”

Solangi is also hoping for divine intervention to save them from a calamity that does not one saw the arrival.

“God is our savior. I don’t feel well,” she said. “My children also sick. I need to bring water.”

Hira Humayun of CNN in Atlanta contributed reporting.

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