Going Beyond Healthcare in IDP crisis

In this time of crisis where millions of people in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan have been rendered homeless, UM healthcare is embarking on a much bigger mission and objective than its original mandate. With the influx of over hundred thousand refugees in close proximity to our medical facility in village Zahidabad (located close to the border of Buner District with Mardan), we are now even assisting them in securing food rations, shelter and even clothings.

In 2004, we had setup UM Healthcare Trust with the mission to provide affordable and low cost medical services to the poor and needy in Pakistan. In 2005, we added Pakistan's first rural Tele-health comprehensive services to our mandate. And now, when two million people are rendered homeless in their own homeland, we are tasked with extending other services to the refugees. One of the reasons for going beyond is because of little or no support from the government and the non-profit sector in our area of operations. Since the crisis began, only one or two relief agencies have setup token presence in our area. With the result, we are left with no choice but to fill the huge gap left in the relief operations.

We are in the process of forming strategic alliances with other organizations working in disaster relief. So far, Edhi Foundation and individuals like you have come forward to help us distribute food rations and clothings to these IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons). Edhi Foundation, this past Wednesday (May 20, 2009) distributed 170 bags of wheat to needy families that we had identified working with the local community leaders. Doctors for Relief of Irish and Pakistan (DRIP) have also stepped forward to collaborate with us on a first regular free kitchen for the IDP community. At the same time, UM healthcare, with the help of the community, recently setup a lunger (free kitchen) for the displaced where they could come and eat as much as they want all day long.

We also have taken in-kind donations (clothing, shoes and utensils) and distributed them to the displaced refugees, especially kids. Clothing is highly central to relief operations as the only clothes they own are the ones they are wearing in which they fled their homes.

In coming weeks, we are working on making this process more streamlined and structured, whereby such services could be offered to the community on a regular and sustainable basis.

Many thanks to our partners and collaborators Edhi Foundation (Ambulance service, food rations), APPNA (medicines), Disaster Management Center Abbotabad (Medicines & Medical Camp), DRIP (Medical Camp and food rations), CDRS (Medical Camp and medicines), Mumtaz Bakhtawar Memorial Trust Hospital (Medicines and Medical Camp) and ordinary citizens who are helping and collaborating with us to achieve our ambitious goals.

At the same time, since May 9, 2009 (in two weeks), with close collaboration with our partners have treated over 4,000 IDPs in our area free of cost and given them free medicines. Hence, we are still focused on our original goals and objectives but have expanded them to achieve even better results.

Edhi Free Ambulance Service at UM Hospital

Sometimes little things can make a big impact. Our small hospital (UM Hospital), which is nothing more than an OPD (Out patient facility), in rural village of Zahidabad (Mardan District) and treats around 150 patients a day, occasionally, receives serious trauma cases. In the past, we would do minor ER and then refer the patients to a bigger hospital in the city of Mardan (an hour drive away). But last week, Edhi Foundation changed all that.

Today, was one of those days when we received many seriously injured patients from a near fatal accident a few kilo meters from our hospital. Our two doctors on duty (one of them is here as a volunteer provided by CDRS Pakistan to assist in Buner and Swat IDP relief) and their support team had to stop their standard operations to handle four trauma cases on urgent basis.

Dr. Qasim and his team managed to get the patients stable and then were quickly loaded in the two ambulances, available through Edhi Foundation, and sent to the city for further investigation and treatment. Our paramedics accompanied the injured through the long journey. Cases like these are now able to avail free ambulance service to the city in a proper vehicle with paramedics on board. In the past, we would simply order a taxi and load the injured into it before sending them off to the city on their own.

Faisal Edhi, the son of famous Abdus Sattar Edhi, took personal notice of our plight and extreme remoteness from the city centers. This situation was made worse with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) in our area from Buner and Swat due to the war on terror waged by Pakistan Army against Taliban, an ambulance service was not only needed but required on urgent basis. Therefore, on May 16, 2009, Edhi Foundation and UM Healthcare Trust took it upon themselves to setup the first twenty four hour free amblulance service in this remote part of Pakistan. These ambulances are totally free and all costs are borne by the Edhi Foundation. Each day, they ferry seriously ill and injured from one point to the other regardless of their caste, creed or financial condition.

This is probably the first time in the history of this region (Sudham Valley) that any kind of regular Ambulance service is made available to the local community and that too free of cost. Considering that almost 200,000 people live in this area and majority live on two dollars a day or less, this is surely a great gift from Edhi Foundation.

UM Healthcare is now treating over 200 patients a day off which almost half are IDPs who are treated free of cost. This number is rising daily due to the huge influx of refugees from Swat and Buner vallies.

Relief Efforts for Buner & Swat Refugees

UM Healthcare Trust in collaboration with NUST, APPNA and other stake holders has begun a massive healthcare relief effort for refugees streaming in from Buner and Swat.

Currently, we are treating atleast 60 patients a day who are refugees. This number is rising as more IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) cross into Mardan District.

We are also distributing free medicines and extending free healthcare advise and diagnosis to all the IDPs. Our medical staff is making rounds in the area to treat patients on site if they are unable to visit our medical facility in village Zahidabad, which is 4 km from the town of Rustum in NWFP, Pakistan.

There is a dire need medicines and volunteers (doctors, nurses, medical professionals) to keep the service quality at a high level.

Please donate generously to the cause (http://www.umtrust.org/donate).

A photo stream of our activities can be seen at the following address:
http://picasaweb.google.com/mumtaz.atif/BunerRefugees