Improving energy system can avert 175,000 deaths in Pakistan: Unicef

As many as 175,000 lives could be saved in Pakistan if the power supply system improves amidst scorching summer in the country, according to the study by Unicef.

The UN’s children agency revealed that providing unsuspended energy to the health facilities and other sectors in Pakistan could prevent the country from 175,000 deaths in the country by 2030. 

The study of Unicef came at a time when Pakistan has been experiencing a blistering heatwave for weeks.

The country witnessed the warmest last week when the temperature went up to 51 degrees Celsius, causing a huge power demand. 

Unicef’s report stated that the steps that could be taken to improve power supply and handle climate crisis conditions would contribute $296 million to Pakistan’s economy by 2044 by reducing the mortality rate among infants and adults, and it will decrease the disease burden as well. 

Abdullah Fadil, Unicef’s representative in Pakistan, said children need schools, health centres, and safe drinking water for their survival, and "the facilities could not function without electricity".

The agency’s report highlighted the need to implement a resilient energy power solution that would appear as a win-win for everyone in Pakistan. 

Children, families, teachers, private sectors, and the economy could benefit from a proper power system

The report’s authors stated that “resilient energy” meant a reliable, flexible, accessible and quality power supply, which would have a standby grid to deal with outages to gain sustainable goals and return triple the investment".

Apart from this, climate change was impacting the global environment, and Pakistan was witnessing its effects very clearly. 

In 2022, climate change triggered a devastating flood in the country, killing 1,739 people and damaging half of the infrastructure.