Citation

Tordrup D, Ahmed W, Bukhari KS, Kanavos P. Lancet Glob. Health 2013; 1(1): e13-e14.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S2214-109X(13)70040-8

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Access to essential medicines can be a formidable challenge in the wake of natural disasters where supply chains and health services might be severely affected. The devastating floods in Pakistan in 2010 affected most of the country from north to south, displacing more than 20 million people and damaging over 500 health facilities. This immense natural disaster, covering 2·4 million hectares of land at its highest, posed a substantial challenge to the provision of health services from the first rains in July until the flood waters receded in January the following year.

In response to the flood, the WHO Pakistan Health Cluster established a coordinating body in Islamabad and set up regional hubs to provide essential medicines to affected populations, engaging 69 implementing partners from various non-governmental organisations. Almost 1200 mobile and 165 static health facilities in the four affected regions were established.

Language: en