Free medical camps be set up immediately in affected areas, food supplies and basic necessities of life be provided to victims: minister
Peshawar
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Social Welfare, Syed Qasim Ali Shah, has urged officials of the Social Welfare Department, philanthropists, and civil society organizations to contribute wholeheartedly in supporting the provincial government’s ongoing efforts for the assistance and rehabilitation of recent flood victims.
He said this will help ensure better support for all affected families, restore their daily lives, and compensate, to some extent, for their losses.
He expressed these views while presiding over an emergency meeting at the Directorate of Social Welfare, Peshawar, regarding the rehabilitation of flood victims. The meeting was attended by District Social Welfare Officer Peshawar Noor Muhammad Mehsud, Deputy Director Administration Qayyum Khan, and representatives of various civil society organizations.
The sole agenda of the meeting was to take measures for the immediate relief and rehabilitation of families affected by the floods.
The Minister briefed participants about the situation in the affected areas of District Buner and urged officials and civil society representatives to develop a joint plan and immediately launch relief activities. On the occasion, NGO representatives briefed the Minister about the relief measures taken so far.
The Minister for Social Welfare instructed that free medical camps be set up immediately in affected areas, food supplies and basic necessities of life be provided to victims, temporary schools be established to prevent disruption in children’s education, and wheelchairs and accessible washrooms be made available for persons with disabilities.
Furthermore, he directed that effective monitoring of relief activities be ensured through close coordination between the Social Welfare Department and NGOs.
The Department of Social Welfare assured that coordination of relief efforts will be ensured through district and field offices. Civil society will be provided full support in listing and surveying needy families. The specific needs of women, children, and persons with disabilities will be given top priority, while regular updates will be provided to the media and public to keep them informed.
Minister for Social Welfare, Syed Qasim Ali Shah, stated that in this difficult time, standing with the affected families is a shared responsibility of the government and social institutions. He reaffirmed that the Department of Social Welfare will play a vital role in turning this mission into reality.
