IOM's Humanitarian Call Centre is now fully operational nationwide,
providing flood victims in all affected provinces with practical
information on where to find humanitarian services and how to
access them.

The toll-free helpline operated by the Peshawar-based call
centre has received between 1,000 and 1,800 calls a day since it
geared up to full operations mode last week. Initial software and
telephone signal problems, which had limited the outreach of the
centre, have been resolved successfully.

"We get many calls from people in the south of Pakistan asking
for shelter," says IOM Mass Communications Project Officer Maria
Ahmad. The southern province of Sindh has been particularly hard
hit by the floods, with an estimated one million houses destroyed
or damaged and over 600,000 flood victims still in need of
emergency shelter.

A large number of callers are now also asking how to diagnose
and treat dengue fever, which is endemic in some areas of Pakistan
and typically occurs at this time of year. Many callers also want
to know how to register for government compensation.

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"The call centre gives flood victims timely and accurate
information on help they truly need. It is an innovative way to
protect the rights of poor and vulnerable people affected by the
disaster. For example, it can tell them how to get watan
(government compensation) cards," says Ahmad.

Ten IOM employees answer people's questions using a
computer-based calling programme, headphones and a booklet with the
phone numbers of all aid agencies and government offices that the
caller can contact if the call centre does not have the answer.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the helpline was first
established, the IOM employees have the support of a network of
around 130 local volunteers in flood-affected areas who talk to
people about their needs and concerns.

"We are now running a country-wide information campaign through
radio and the Yellow Pages to make people aware of our service,"
Ahmad says, adding that she expects calls to triple in the coming
weeks.

The call centre is part of IOM's mass communications programme,
which is a comprehensive information service for flood victims,
humanitarian organizations and the government.

Dedicated relief and media professionals use a variety of
communication channels, including radio, banners and direct
communication from aid worker to flood victim to provide people
with practical information about humanitarian services.

The programme includes an SMS service to keep relief workers
up-to-date on developments in flood-affected areas as well as print
campaigns to inform people about relief provided by the National
Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

For more information on IOM's mass communications program please
visit "http://www.mcommsorg.net/" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.mcommsorg.net/.

For more information on IOM's activities in Pakistan, to
download the IOM Appeal or to donate to IOM's flood response,
please go to: "/jahia/Jahia/pakistan/lang/en" target="" title=
"">http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/pakistan.

For media queries please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Islamabad

Tel: +92.300 856 0341

E-mail: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int">srehmat@iom.int

or

Eliane Engeler

Tel: +92.300 852 6357

E-mail: "mailto:eengeler@iom.int">eengeler@iom.int