World Vision survey in Pakistan's hardest-hit districts finds rapid increase
of diarrhea, skin diseases in children

World Vision staff in Pakistan host phone briefing at 10 a.m. ET

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, Aug. 24 /CNW/ - World Vision says assessments conducted over the last few days near the towns of Muzaffar Garh and Kot Addo in Punjab paint a bleak picture of the impact of the flooding. Reports from Sukkur in Sindh Province are equally dire, the agency says. Contaminated water, cramped living conditions and a lack of sanitation is contributing to a rapid increase in cases of diarrhea and skin diseases in children.

"People are in urgent need of almost everything: shelter, health clinics, clean water, sanitation and livelihood support," said Mike Bailey, World Vision's regional manager for advocacy. "And that's just what we gleaned from the areas we can reach. Flooding and the damage it has left behind mean there are areas we want to help that we still can't reach."

Journalists are invited to a conference call on Tuesday, 24 August. World Vision will provide a briefing on the current needs of the affected families - particularly the health needs of the nearly 3.5 million children who have survived this disaster - and what the world must do to help.

    
                       Date: Tuesday, 24 August, 2010
                       Time: 10 a.m. EST (7 p.m. in Islamabad)
                       Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): +1.888.669.2803
                       Attendee access code: 417 8952
    

For callers outside the U.S., please visit https://www.teleconference.att.com/global and enter the phone number and code above to receive your global call-in number. The passcode is the same for every country.

Experts will include:

Mike Bailey, World Vision regional advocacy manager

Mike Bailey is a regional advocacy manager with World Vision, working on complex policy issues including children's health, the impact of poverty on children and their families, and human rights law. Mike is currently deployed to the disaster in Islamabad, Pakistan but has been based in Jerusalem. He has worked with World Vision since 2006.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at WorldVision.ca for the latest press releases, stories, photos, video and reports.

For further information: Britt Hamilton, 905-565-6200 (ext. 3973), cell: 416-419-1321, [email protected]