A report issued by Save the Children International explains that fears over the malnutrition rate among the youngest survivors of Pakistan’s flooding are increasing. Damaging or destroying over 450 health facilities, the floods have limited service in areas where health care was already a challenge.

"With so many families displaced and lacking the means to provide their children sufficient food, the next crisis that children face is nutritional," said Ribka Amsalu, Save the Children’s emergency health advisor. Children in camps and hospitals are showing symptoms of severe acute malnutrition. Threats also include diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria and a lack of maternal and newborn care.

Over the coming days, the organization will establish malnutrition prevention and treatment centers in affected districts. Focus will be put on children under the age of 5 and pregnant and lactating women and counselors will deploy with Save the Children mobile health teams to support women and infants.

While Vitamin Angels is not a relief organization or involved in Save the Children’s disaster relief efforts, Save the Children is one of Vitamin Angels’ distribution partners and with them we have established a long term vitamin A program within Pakistan. We share this update about their relief efforts in Pakistan as a part of our ongoing concern for the worldwide reduction of childhood undernutrition and mortality.   

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