The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has welcomed the Italian government's contribution of Euros 1.507 million for the well-being of Afghan refugee in Pakistan, saying it will help provide medicines and vaccines to 84 health centres in Afghan Refugee villages across Pakistan.
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Directorate General for Development Co-operation (DGCS) informed the UNHCR about the donation being given to the health programme for Afghan refugees from 2008-2009. This generous contribution of Italian government will help the UN refugee agency to streamline the system for provision of medicines, vaccines and treatment in basic health units in 84 Afghan refugee villages in different areas of Pakistan, said UNHCR's representative in Pakistan, Guenet Guebre-Christos on Thursday.
The UNHCR representative said that about 3.5 million Afghan refugees have returned home from Pakistan with the UNHCR assistance since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001. Over 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan today, less than half of whom live in refugee villages in North West Frontier Province, Balochistan and Punjab, he added. In addition to the basic health care, the UN refugee agency also supports primary education, water and sanitation facilities in these refugee villages, he said.
The Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan, Vincenzo Prati, during his meeting with the UNHCR representative in Pakistan said that millions of Afghans have repatriated from Pakistan in recent years, but we must not forget those who cannot return home for the moment.
'Just as returnees need help to rebuild their lives, Afghans who remain here need continued support to survive outside their homeland,' the Italian envoy said, adding that this contribution of Italy was made to support the UNHCR activities for provision of health care to Afghan Refugees in Pakistan.
Comments
Comments are closed.