Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Tuesday met with the French Ambassador Nicolas Galey and informed him of the challenges the country was facing in the current relief efforts and the assistance required for the rehabilitation of the flood affectees.

Ambassador Nicolas Galey expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan on the devastation wreaked by the floods and assured full support from the French government, a news release said.

Thanking the French Ambassador for their support, the federal minister Sherry Rehman said, “We appreciate France’s support in these tough times and would require assistance in the rehabilitation and relief process. The devastation on ground is much more than we have ever encountered even in the 2010 floods. We have not seen a humanitarian disaster of such epic proportions. More than 5,700 km of metaled roads and 246 bridges have been severely damaged in the 81 calamity-hit regions, cutting communication lines making relief and rescue herculean challenge.”

Apprising the Ambassador of the assistance needed in the flood-hit regions, the minister said, “We need to rebuild adaptive and resilient infrastructure. Moreover, we are now bracing for a health emergency due to the water-borne diseases such as cholera and dengue. Health assistance is imperative due to fragility and vulnerability on ground as people are surviving under open skies, waiting for government assistance.

We need to provide tents and medics on priority basis. Women health crisis is looming in the heart of affected areas with at least 650,000 pregnant women, of whom 73,000 are expected to deliver next month. The flood-affected areas are in dire need of maternal health service.” Galey expressed condolences and deepest regret on the loss of lives due to the devastating floods and assured full support from the French government in these trying times.