The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) has pledged Rs 208 million to support WHO's implementation of a Disease Early Warning System (Dews) in the earthquake-affected areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Friday between Dr Yusaf Samiullah, Head of DFID Pakistan and Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud, WHO Representative to Pakistan. After major natural disasters there is often a second wave of ill health and deaths, caused by poor living conditions creating epidemics of diseases such as cholera, pneumonia and malaria.
The Dews, a system, which was developed by WHO and has been used in the aftermath of disasters around the world, was activated within two weeks of the earthquake of October 2005. Supported by funding from DFID and ECHO (The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department), it was used to track the occurrence of epidemic-prone diseases and to provide an appropriate response. As a result major outbreaks and epidemics were avoided.
Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud, WHO Representative said: "the Dews has introduced a timely surveillance network capable of early detection, proper investigation and mobilisation of appropriate response and control interventions for suspected outbreaks.
The Dews has been instrumental in providing evidence for the implementation of priority public health interventions for the 3.5 million people affected by the earthquake." Dews was a major internationally recognised success story in the earthquake response. The DFID funding will help WHO to build on this success, ensuring that the Dews continues to operate over the next 18 months and is successfully integrated into district health systems.
The aim is that Dews will become a national system that will help Pakistan to detect and quickly respond to outbreaks and epidemics wherever they occur, not just in disaster zones, and prevent them becoming widespread. Examples of diseases, which could be controlled in this way, are dengue fever and avian flu.
Dr Samiullah said, "The Disease Early Warning System was instrumental in helping to avoid the second wave of casualties expected in the aftermath of the earthquake.
DFID has been working hard to help people to return to a normal life in the earthquake-affected areas, and we are proud to be able to support WHO in ensuring that this vital system continues to function and bring benefits to the wider community in Pakistan."