IHHN hands over 40 water filtration plants to Sindh govt

KARACHI: More than 40 newly installed water filtration plants were formally handed over by the Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) to the Sindh government in a ceremony held at the Government Hospital, Shah Faisal Korangi, Karachi.
This remarkable public health initiative is aimed at helping address the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the 2022 floods in Pakistan, which severely damaged infrastructure and compromised the affected people’s access to clean drinking water.
Addressing the ceremony, Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Pechuho, emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling humanitarian crises. "This initiative reflects the commitment of all stakeholders towards improving public health and infrastructure resilience," she remarked.
Dr Mah, Executive Director of the Community Health Directorate at IHHN, outlining the project's background, said the 2022 floods triggered a surge in waterborne diseases due to the destruction of drinking water resources. In response, IHHN, in collaboration with the Sindh government, installed filtration plants at 40 key locations across 22 severely affected districts, she added.
Dr Mah said that technical assessments by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) helped construct these plants, while UNICEF ensured adherence to high-quality standards. 
“Eighty percent of these plants are equipped with solar panels, providing essential backup power in line with the needs identified in the PCRWR report,” she added.
IHHN CEO Dr Zafar Zaidi emphasised the strategic placement of these filtration plants at secondary-level health facilities within flood-affected districts. "Using Reverse Osmosis and Ultra Filtration technologies, these plants can produce up to 50,000 gallons of clean water daily, essential for high-patient-volume facilities," he said.
He said that after successful operational testing and six months of smooth functioning, the plants’ formal handover to the Sindh government is a critical step towards combating waterborne diseases and ensuring sustainable access to clean water in flood-ravaged areas.
Dr Pechuho also visited IHHN's new hospital building in Korangi, where she was welcomed by Dr Abdul Bari Khan, President of IHHN, and CEO Prof Zafar Zaidi. 
After visiting the new Emergency Medicine Ward and OPD clinics at the hospital, Dr Pechuho expressed her satisfaction and appreciation for the creation of this world-class facility. 
She said the Sindh government initiative is expected to benefit hundreds of thousands of patients, and thanked the IHHN management for their tireless efforts.
The ceremony concluded with Dr Abdul Bari presenting a commemorative shield to Dr Pechuho, listing all 40 installation sites as a testament to the project’s success.