KARACHI: Apart from attending to the physical needs of flood victims, there is a dire need to look after their mental health as most of them have suffered significant human and material losses, and now experiencing psychological stress and depression, pointed out senior neurologist Dr Muhammad Wasay at a programme organised at Karachi University on Monday.

The one-day hybrid seminar — Building Climate Resilient Healthcare Infrastructure: Post Disasters Scenario in Pakistan — was jointly organised by KU’s Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN), and Sindh Innovation Research Educational Network.

Giving a presentation on healthcare challenges in refugees, Dr Wasay, senior professor at Aga Khan University, said a significant number of the flood-affected population had diseases, such as epilepsy, hypertension, diabetes and different infections, and awaited treatment.

“Besides, a major challenge is to look after their mental health. This important aspect is being ignored by government agencies including the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority and non-profit organisations. Medicines to treat depression and other psychological illnesses are not available for them,” he said, fearing that unattended stress and depression might lead crime and suicide.

Need stressed for building ‘disaster-resilient’ health infrastructure

According to Dr Wasay, more than 300,000 flood victims have injuries to limbs, bones that may lead to disability in future, if timely medical assistance and rehabilitation are not provided. “We already have more than eight million disabled persons in the country and need a rehab plan for the flood victims for a term up to two years along with a programme for social welfare support and for attending to special needs.”

Speaking on disaster and health, Dr Bilal Anwar, the chief executive officer of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), Islamabad, said the recent floods had highlighted the importance of disaster-resilient health infrastructure as the disaster put multiple pressures on the fragile health system and caused disruption in health services.

Prof Michael Patterson of Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand, shared what Pakistan’s more vulnerable to climate change and said it’s a major challenge, hampering progress of the country.

Pakistan is the country of the Indus river, which is a large-scale powerful river system, he said, adding: “[But] The nature of rivers to flood, whereas Pakistan is experiencing the worst flood ever.”

Associate Professor in Risk Management of University of Leicester Prof Dr Nibedita S. Ray Bennett said that disaster education, maternal mortality and morbidity from an unsafe abortion and post-abortion complications during disasters and crises, direct and indirect disaster deaths, snakebite deaths during disasters, and lightning deaths are the major research themes.

Dr Hideyuki Shiroshita and Prof Ghazna Khalid also spoke.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2022