Potential Long-term Consequences of Pakistan Flooding

The images over the last three of weeks of the millions of people devastated by the flooding are heartbreaking and hard to fully comprehend. Entire communities have been destroyed. Families have fled to higher ground--leaving behind much of what they own and losing most, if not all, their assets.

For the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, responding to this crisis has been a logistical nightmare. So much of the country is covered in water. It is estimated that 20 million people have been affected, 4 million people are homeless, and 8 million people depend on aid for their survival. And the donations have not been flowing in. The United States has been the largest donor, seeing the risk that this crisis could further fuel extremism.

In the short run, the focus is on providing food and shelter, preventing the spread of water-borne diseases, including cholera. In the medium to long term, roads, bridges, and entire communities will have to be rebuilt and livelihoods restored.

This is a perilous time for those affected. Pakistan already has very high rates of malnutrition. A quarter of the population is undernourished--they don't receive enough calories per day--and 38 percent of children under age 5 are underweight for their age. This crisis risks substantially increasing malnutrition rates. A prolonged period without food and the right nutrients, especially among children under 2, can have lifelong consequences.

Poor nutrition between that crucial window of opportunity from conception to 24 months can affect physical and cognitive development, leading to poor health and poor productivity into adulthood. Recent studies in the British medical journal The Lancet have shown that this can cost individuals dearly in terms of lost income, and it can cost countries 3 percent of GDP where malnutrition is high. To learn more, read the Institute's briefing paper on maternal and child nutrition.

For the pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children in flood-affected areas, the need is urgent. It is vital that humanitarian aid agencies have the resources to meet the needs of this particular group. Otherwise, the country will be recovering from this flood for generations.