UNITED NATIONS - The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US dollars 17.6 million for urgent help to over five million of the vulnerable families affected by the Pakistans floods, a UN spokesman said on Thursday. The UN has stepped into sustain the humanitarian operations in view of the lack of response from donors to the $357 million appeal. 'The money (from UN Emergency Fund) will be used to provide packages of assistance including healthcare, safe water, sanitation, food, shelter materials, blankets, and other life-saving support, spokesman Martin Nesirky told the regular noon briefing at UN Headquarters in New York. The Pakistan Floods 2011 Rapid Response Plan, which has asked for US$357 million, is currently only 15 per cent funded; the UN allocation is in fact the single largest donation so far, he added. Last week, the top UN humanitarian official urged Pakistan has to address some issues with donors for the release of new funding for flood victims in Sindh. 'Im concerned over the situation, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos said, referring to the fact that only 15 per cent of the UN appeal has been funded. Amos said that the Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA), of which she is the head, was in touch with the donors who were a bit stretched. The donors have been told that the UN agencies had carefully carried out the assessment of the victims needs in cooperation with the Pakistan govt and that it was 'accurate. But Amos said the donors wanted to have an accounting of the money transferred to Pakistans National Disaster Management Authority from last years collection to implement longer-term projects before committing fresh funds. 'I think there are issues for the Government of Pakistan to address, she added. More than two weeks ago, the UN and its partners launched the Pakistan Floods Rapid Response Plan to support the govts efforts to address the immediate needs of up to 5.4 million people for six months. Pakistan has been severely affected by floods for the second consecutive year. The UN and its humanitarian partners have to date provided emergency shelter for 314,500 households and more than 1.6 million people have received medicines and medical consultations, according to a UN news release. More than 413,000 people have received food aid and the UN aims to double its support and provide up to 400,000 new beneficiaries with access to safe drinking water in the coming weeks, it said.