WHO supports health emergency response in floods affected areas

Since 30 June 33 districts in Bangladesh have been affected by floods that caused 82,000 people to seek for medical attention and led to 261 fatalities.

Floods in Rangpur Division

Immediate action has been taken by WHO in support of the Government’s efforts to limit the effects of floods over public health, reduce spread of diseases and avert further loss of lives. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) activated nearly 3000 Mobile Medical Teams in affected areas and WHO timely released drugs prepositioned in medical buffer stocks.

“WHO has immediately released essential medicines from the emergency buffer stocks such as antibiotics, intravenous saline, oral rehydration salts, water purification tablets or Anti-snake venom to treat patients suffering from water borne diseases, snake bites and other injuries.”, says Dr. Muhammad Rahim, WHO National Professional Officer for Health Emergencies.

WHO supported DGHS to coordinate efforts of Civil Surgeons and Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers to ensure timely and efficient response to the flood affected districts, taking also into consideration COVID-19 pandemic situation.

“The COVID-19 adds extra burden to floods emergency response due to shortage of health workers which are assigned to fight the virus and due to the additional work load faced by health system due to pandemic. Despite the challenges, WHO divisional coordinators from Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Sylhet are working closely with local authorities to identify priority needs and to direct the support where it is most needed.”, added Dr. Rahim.

While emergency response is primordial, WHO supports the Government in maintaining operational life-saving services, such as routine immunization and other essential health interventions.

Health worker carrying vaccines in floods affected areas in Rangpur Division

DGHS and WHO continue to monitor the overall flood situation from National Health Emergency Operations Centre and Control Room of DGHS, providing necessary support to the subnational and local authorities in disease surveillance and coordination activities.