IDP Relief Efforts Update for June 2009

Since the first week of May 2009, UM Healthcare Trust Hospital has been busy treating thousands of IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) all across rural Mardan and near the border of Buner Districts. We were ably assisted by medical teams from

• Edhi Foundation
  
• APPNA (Association of Pakistani Physicians in North America)
  
• CDRS Pakistan (Comprehensive Disaster Response Services)
  
• Disaster Management Center, Abbottabad
• NUST (National University of Sciences and Technology)
  
• Mumtaz Bakhtawar Memorial Trust Hospital
• DRIP (Disaster Relief by Irish and Pakistanis)
  

Overall, we have treated 10,000 patients in our area and distributed free medicines to the IDPs who had fled their homes with no belongings beyond the clothes they were wearing after the breakout of conflict between Taliban and Pakistani army. This is in addition to 5,000 poor and destitute patients from our district whom we also treated during the same time.


CDRS Pakistan
We initially had only one doctor on duty at our Mardan facility but Todd Shea's CDRS was quick to respond to our plea of support and deputed another doctor from their AJK (Azad Jummu and Kashmir) medical facility in Chakar within days of the IDPs influx into Mardan District.

The medical team not only treats patients at our hospital but also setups up medical camps three times a week at various villages surrounding our facility. They have also brought many vital items along with medicines including baby formula milk, toys and emergency equipment.


Disaster Management Center and DRIP
Dr. Nauman Siddiqui (DMC/DRIP), lead a team of doctors to our region which included two female doctors along with medical supplies. Majority of the patients (over 50%) that we treat are females and therefore, lady doctors were extremely critical and vital for providing quality care to females in our area. So far, these are the only female doctors to venture so far out to see patients.

We require more females to volunteer as female patients prefer to see lady doctors to discuss ailments.

DRIP in collaboration with UM Healthcare has also started a free kitchen for 100 people near our facility. Each day a free meal is provided to each IDP. This is the first of its kind free kitchen in the area as government support has so far lagged and not really reached these IDPs.


Edhi Foundation
Edhi Foundation also joined hands with us and has provided us with two ambulances as soon as the crisis began. The population of our area is 165,000 with an additional 100,000 people who are IDPs. Hence, the population has literally doubled in a matter of weeks in our region. For a population of a little over quarter of a million now, these are the only two functional ambulances in the whole region. Hence, they are a vital addition to medical services in our area. So far, they have been involved in saving lives of numerous people including trauma victims from accidents as well war victims with Taliban in Buner.

Edhi Foundation has also taken a step beyond healthcare in providing food rations to the poor and needy. So far Edhi has distributed to over 300 families bags of Atta (wheat flour), ghee (vegetable oil), and daal (lentils). This is also commendable in the absence of government relief which is still lagging behind in the area.


Mumtaz Bakhtawar Memorial Hospital
One of the most critical support that we have gotten is from Mumtaz Bakhtawar who not only brought in critically needed medicines, but for the past many weeks have been holding medical camps in various rural villages around Rustum. They are especially taking their teams to such places where there have been no health services ever provided and the villages are too remote for even ordinary help to reach them. Mumtaz Bakhtawar treat over 200 patients at each of their medical camps near the border of Buner.


NUST
NUST SEECS Students have also played one of the most inspiring role in IDP relief efforts. The students have painstakingly put together over 650 hygiene kits. Over 200 off which they distributed themselves in two villages (Jamder and Jallar) to IDPs.

These hygiene kits contain essential items like Toothbrush/paste, mosquito repellent coils/sprays, water purification tablets, soaps (for hand and clothes washing). Considering that majority of the IDPs are living in unhygienic conditions and many diseases are spreading due to this scenario, these kits are extremely vital for preventing the spread of diseases including malaria, scabies (skin disease), diarrhea and other life threatening ailments.


APPNA
APPNA has also been playing a critical role in this relief operation. They were quick to respond to the crisis and quickly assisted in the procurement of essential medicines for the IDPs. These medicines have been vital in saving lives of thousands of IDPs that we have treated in our area.


Donors and Partners
UM Healthcare Trust is also extremely thankful to all its partners and individual donors who have sent in their donations (in kind and in cash) for us to continue to provide critical services to the poor and needy in our area. With their help, we have also distributed cash, clothes, utensils among other items to the IDPs. We will continue to serve the IDPs and the destitute population in our region till the crisis continues.