ISLAMABAD:The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged US$1 million to support the World Health Organization (WHO) in assisting Pakistan’s ongoing response to monsoon floods, which have killed more than 800 people and displaced thousands nationwide.
According to WHO, the support will focus on 33 high-risk districts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan, directly addressing the health needs of over 465,000 flood-affected people. The initiative will run over the next six months, with particular focus on pregnant women, children under five, the elderly, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups.
During a visit to flood-hit areas in Swabi, WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr. Dapeng Luo said, “We are particularly thankful to the Gates Foundation for this generous and timely support to WHO teams in the field, supporting federal and provincial authorities to meet health needs, deliver medical supplies and save lives.” He added that as the climate crisis fuels increasingly severe monsoons, rapid response and preparedness are critical to preserving public health.
WHO teams in Pakistan continue to back federal and provincial authorities in relief efforts. Since mid-August, flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone have killed at least 450 people, injured 265 and affected more than 860,000 people, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Torrents also damaged 57 health facilities, over 4,200 houses and 60 schools in the province.
At the national level, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports 802 deaths, 1,088 injured, damage to 89 health facilities, 7,465 houses, 238 bridges and more than 650 kilometers of roads since June. Nearly 30,000 people are staying in relief camps, while 122,000 have been rescued through 832 operations.
WHO has already dispatched health supplies to treat up to 15,000 patients in KP within a day of the floods and has distributed enough medicines nationwide to cover 380,000 people since June. Under the Monsoon Contingency Plan 2025, the organization has also prepositioned resources to support up to 1.3 million vulnerable people if conditions worsen.
“This support not only saves lives today but also contributes to building stronger and more resilient health systems for the future,” Dr. Luo emphasized.
