• Doctors warn that disease outbreaks may kill more people than recent floods.
• Over 400 deaths have been reported due to floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Thousands of flood victims are facing rising cases of waterborne diseases.
• Psychiatric assistance is being deployed to address trauma among affected individuals.
• Health authorities are initiating prevention plans to tackle health emergencies.

In northern Pakistan, continuous rains and severe flooding have resulted in extensive destruction of infrastructure and agricultural lands, significantly impacting local communities. Residents confront a dire situation as they now face the outbreak of waterborne and other diseases, compounded by severe psychological trauma from their experiences. Since August 15, more than 400 individuals have reportedly died due to flood-related incidents, as reported by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, prompting urgent medical responses across the flood-affected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to aa, trtglobal, and dawn.

Health professionals have raised alarms that the post-flood conditions could lead to greater fatalities through disease outbreaks than the floods have caused directly. Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, secretary general of the Pakistan Medical Association, emphasized the immediate need for a "prevention plan" to ensure access to basic health necessities, such as clean drinking water and proper hygiene. He pointed out, "Considering the given hygiene conditions, we cannot fully contain the outbreak and possible deaths, but a smart prevention plan can reduce the volume of a secondary disaster to a good extent," according to aa, trtglobal, and dawn.

Dr. Mohammad Zahid Latif, leading the health division at Al-Khidmat Foundation, has witnessed a sharp increase in cases of diseases such as diarrhea, gastroenteritis, dengue fever, malaria, and skin ailments among the affected population. He reported, "Thousands of people, mainly children, have arrived with complaints of these conditions. Thousands more [with similar complaints] are still stranded on the outskirts due to the blockade of roads and washing away of bridges," according to aa, trtglobal, and dawn.

The situation is further complicated by reproductive and mental health challenges faced by the disaster-affected communities. According to Latif, many survivors are experiencing severe trauma and psychological stress due to their experiences during the floods. He stated, "The physical pain and injuries will heal in weeks or months, but the mental trauma will take a long time to go away," highlighting the need for comprehensive mental health support. Furthermore, Ataullah Khan, speaking on behalf of the provincial health department, affirmed that trained psychiatrists have been sent to address these devastating psychological impacts among flood victims, as reported by aa, trtglobal, and dawn.