In response to these challenges, IRD began relief operations in KPK, recently expanding them into areas of Sindh and Punjab provinces that were heavily affected by the flooding. A new eight-month emergency program will help meet the needs of flood-affected families residing in spontaneous settlements in the D.I. Khan and Tank districts of KPK and the northern districts of Kashmore, Jacobabad, and Shikarpur in Sindh. This new program builds on IRD’s existing efforts in partnership with Foundation for Integrated Development Advancement (FIDA), Voice for VEER Development Organization, Marvi Rural Development Organization (MRDO) and Research Development Foundation (RDF), with funding from USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.
Water and Sanitation
To directly address the flooding, IRD provided 10 de-water pumps to district administration in the targeted five districts. They are being used to rehabilitate public facilities that house displaced families. IRD is also providing flood-affected families with safe drinking water, hygiene kits, jerry cans, and other critical non-food items. Rural water supply systems will be cleaned and restored, and temporary shelter will be provided through the distribution of plastic sheeting and tarps.
IRD will make clean drinking water available to a minimum of 3,000 families through water tankers for an initial 10 days, and 100 water points will be restored, targeting the safe water needs of 70,000 people. Water purification tablets are being delivered along with safe-water messaging. To improve sanitation, IRD is restoring 600 latrines in public locations where flood-affected families have taken shelter, and an additional 200 latrines at the community level.
Local hygiene committees formed by IRD will continue to support hygiene awareness training as well as establish user committees for water supply and sanitation facility maintenance, and new groups will be formed as needed to deal with flood community dislocations. The committees work with IRD staff members to provide community-based education focused on personal hygiene practices that include hand washing with soap, sanitation promotion, and safe water use. IRD will also use print and electronic medium for mass awareness on health and hygiene practices.
Health
During the last quarter of 2009, IRD provided $2 million worth of emergency medicines to at least eight rural health centers and functional basic health units, the district headquarters hospital, and six maternal-child health clinics in the target communities of KPK.