Doctors Without Borders rushes aid to Pakistan victims in growinghumanitarian crisis

GHN News Editor - As the medical situation becomes more
dire each day in Pakistan, Doctors Without Borders has sent supplies
and medical personnel into stricken areas in the midst of a growing
tragedy.

As the flooding increases, Doctors without Borders observes how death

and injuries are followed by other health risks from lack of hygiene,
which is the present situation as the flooding in Pakistan continues.

From the beginning of the present crisis in Pakistan, Doctors Without
Borders, that refers to itself as MSF, in that wing that ventures out
into the field, health care has been provided through several existing
programs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan provinces.

At
the same time new health structures are being created and mobile
clinics set up in two others provinces where the flooding has spread in
the Sindh and Punjab.

Doctors worry about the spread of cholera.

Already
the doctors are finding some of the most common diseases are linked to
the desperate living conditions and the lack of clean water.

 “Out
of more than 10,000 consultations in the last two weeks, the most
common diseases we are treating are skin infections, respiratory
diseases and acute diarrhea,” said Dr. Ahmad Mukhtar, MSF’s medical
coordinator in Pakistan. “Among those patients, there are some suspected
cholera cases, and while we wait for official confirmation, we continue
to provide them with the necessary treatment.”

Cholera is endemic in parts of Pakistan, so it is not surprising to doctors to find the outbreak of new cases.

MSF treated 2,500 patients during a cholera outbreak in August 2009.

Cholera is a disease that one contracts by ingesting infected water or
food. It can spread very easily in unhygienic conditions. Once
contracted, cholera prevents one’s body from retaining water, leading to
high-volume diarrhea and rapid dehydration.

Treatment for cholera is with oral rehydration salts or, in more severe cases, intravenous drips.

“Cholera is one of the severe forms of acute diarrhea,” says Dr.
Mukhtar. “However, a few suspected cases do not mean that we’re on the
verge of an outbreak. We need to remain very vigilant and make sure that
we keep identifying and treating people with acute diarrhea as soon as
possible. We treat people with acute diarrhea exactly as if they had
cholera. Our staff in mobile clinics and in hospitals play a vital role
in identifying and following up possible cases in the community.”

Despite the response so far from volunteer doctors the problem overall grows more serious each day.



Overall, though, there is no
question that much more needs to be done to provide even basic relief to
people in the flood affected areas of Pakistan. More than two weeks
after the onset of the floods, too many people have still received too
little assistance.

Around Leh, MSF is distributing shelter, kitchen, and hygiene kits to
2,000 of the most vulnerable families. The kits contain blankets, soap,
jerry cans, some clothes, cooking items, and tarpaulins.

Flash floods in Leh are reported to have caused widespread destruction
and many homes been swept away. An estimated 25,000 people are affected,
with 150 deaths and hundreds of people missing.

“Despite the logistical challenges, we have managed to start
distributing relief items to those most in need. This is now the
priority,” said Dr. Teshome Ashagre Adebabai, MSF’s team leader in Leh.
“However, we are also assessing medical needs and are mobilizing our
resources to meet those needs as soon as possible.”

MSF is coordinating its efforts with Save the Children and local NGOs
in Leh. In Kargil, the organization will also distribute relief kits to
the most affected families to support the disaster management efforts of
the state authorities.

MSF has worked in Jammu & Kashmir since 2001.



Besides basic healthcare, MSF offers psychosocial counseling to a population traumatized by over two decades of violence