ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) announced on Tuesday that it would activate life-saving activities in the flood-affected areas of Sindh, particularly for the pregnant women there.

About 1.4 million women of child-bearing age in the most severely affected districts of Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Khairpur, Sanghar and Umerkot require access to reproductive health services, the UN agency says in a press release. Of them, over 160,000 women require emergency services.

United Nations Population Fund Representative in Pakistan Rabbi Royan says the funding gap will have to be filled to ensure safe delivery of thousands of women in the next six months. As part of the consolidated UN appeal, the international community has been requested to provide $3.8 million to address the most urgent reproductive health needs, including emergency obstetric services.

Estimates show that 440 women go into labour every day, 60 of whom may have potentially life-threatening pregnancy-related complications.

Access to the mobile health facilities has been one of the major challenges. In its initial phase, the UNFPA has mobilised 50 mobile service units in the eight worst affected districts while working with the government and NGO partners. These fully equipped mobile vehicles are offering basic emergency obstetric care services, including basic primary health care to women and adolescent girls.