Pakistan: Health Clinics on the Move to Save Lives Across the Country

(New York / Geneva / Islamabad: 06 September 2010): The World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistani health authorities, and partners, are currently operating almost 1,200 mobile health teams in flood-affected areas of the country.

"During this crisis, these mobile clinics are very effective. For many people, these are the only places where they can receive health care", said Dr. Guido Sabatinelli, WHO's Representative to Pakistan.

Dr. Hussein Gezairy, WHO's Regional Director of its Eastern Mediterranean office, said: "When these clinics enter affected areas, they provide basic emergency health care services, which include medical consultations, vaccinations, maternal and child care, management of non-communicable diseases, and health education. The whole mobile mechanism is a key component of the overall emergency health response strategy, and the delivery of outreach medical services".

So far, more than two million people have received medical care through this system. The most frequent health conditions observed are acute respiratory infections, skin and eye diseases, and diarrhoeal diseases.

More than 1,200 health volunteers, recruited through a drive called by the Government of Pakistan, have been enrolled in a programme of mobile health teams in affected districts in support of residual health services.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Pakistani health authorities are key partners in this endeavour in flood-affected provinces. These include the International Medical Corps, Medical Emergency Relief International (MERLIN), Médecins du Monde - France (MDM-F), Centre of Excellence for Rural Development, Sahara, Friend Foundation, Muslim Aid Pakistan, National Rural Support Program, Swat Participatory Council, Islamic Relief, Family Planning Association of Pakistan, the Tahliq Foundation, the Initiative for Development and Empowerment Axis (IDEA), and the Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS).

Pakistani Federal and Provincial authorities, along with the country's military medical corps, have mobilized hundreds of medical teams to support flood health relief efforts.

Merlin was among the first NGOs to respond with mobile clinics in the country's most severely flood-affected areas including the remote north-western Swat Valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK). This NGO has been providing essential health care and supporting the Pakistan health system for five years, when the Emergency Response Team arrived to assist in the earthquake relief effort.

"Merlin has mobilized health teams, logistics experts and medical staff for an immediate and effective response to the devastating floods of July 2010", said Jacqueline Koch, Communications Officer of the NGO, "In many cases our teams walk for six hours, carrying up to 20 kg of medical supplies on their back, to reach those in need". Merlin teams are currently working in Buner, Charsadda, Nowshera, and Swat in KPK, and Muzaffargarh in Punjab.

For further information, please call: OCHA Islamabad: Maurizio Giuliano,+92 300 8502397 giuliano@un.org; Stacey Winston, +92 300 8502690, winston@un.org; OCHA New York: Nicholas Reader, +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org; OCHA Geneva: Elisabeth Byrs, +41 22 917 2653, mobile +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org

For specific information on health, please contact: WHO Islamabad: Gul Afridi, +92 300 5010640, afridig@pak.emro.who.int

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int