Pakistan: Relief and Health Services for Earthquake Affected Victims

Health Clinic to Continue after Relief Project Ends: Q1 2017

May 12, 2017

Dr. Rubina Mumtaz, Country Director

Summary of Activities

The 4th morbidity report covers a two-month period: January 1st to February 28th, 2017, as the Swat Earthquake Relief Project came to an official close in the first week of March 2017. A formal closing event took place on March 18th, 2017. During interactions with the community on this occasion, RMF was requested to continue our healthcare services, as the vast majority of area residents are poor and vulnerable with limited access to health care. A board decision was made to continue the health clinic in Swat. Thus, at the end of March, we moved to our 5th location, the village of Nagoha in Union Council Barikot.

The daily clinic operating hours are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday. Sunday is a day off and Friday is a half-day, in line with religious demand for Friday afternoon prayers, which are considered sacred.

Health Clinic Site

Our approach in choosing the clinic site for this project has been needs-based, as this service is more focused on people in need, irrespective of their experience in the earthquake. Thus, the modus operandi for our clinic has been semi-stationary, moving from site to site according to our assessment of need in different localities within the same district. As a result, the equipment, machinery, and accompanying paraphernalia of the clinical setup have been kept to a minimum, allowing us to move easily and swiftly. In the past year since December 2015, we have worked in five different remote villages:

  1. Laloo Bandee, Union Council Bandai
  2. Takhta Banda, Union Council Odigram
  3. Odigram, Union Council Odigram
  4. Balogram, Union Council Odigram
  5. Nagoha, Union Council Barikot
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Results &

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Demographic Distribution

Serving the District

A total of 975 men, women, and children were provided with primary health care (PHC) and maternal and child health care (MCH) services.

Adults:

  • 40.5% – 395 women
  • 10.4% – 102 men

Children:

  • 28.4% – 77 girls
  • 20.6% – 201 boys

Health Care Statistics

Common Health Issues

A total of 578 men, women, and children sought primary healthcare services:

  • Respiratory Tract Infections – 21.2%
  • Urinary Tract Infections – 16.4%
  • Diarrhea – 15.5%
  • General Body Weakness – 7.3%
  • Anemic – 7%

MCH Statistics

Caring for Mothers

A total of 395 women sought MCH services:

  • Antenatal Care – 25 to pregnant women
  • Postnatal Visits – 26 lactating mothers
  • Family Planning Services – 25 women
  • Infertility Issues – 9 women
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Background

& Objectives

Background

On October 26, 2015, at 14.09 hrs, an earthquake of magnitude 7.7 hit the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. The epicenter was centered in Badakhsan Province of Afghanistan, 76 Km north of the Chitral border of Pakistan.

The earthquake luckily spared extreme damage to infrastructure of the affected areas, hence the low rate of mortality and morbidity but remote villages tucked deep in the folds of the mountains composed of mud and wood have succumbed to the quake tremors rendering whole villages shelter less. Also the event triggered off a series of landslides in the mountainous regions that, in the face of the impending winter where it has been raining and snowing in some regions, led to power outages in many places and road blocks, isolating large tracts of areas where people are in need.

Objectives

1. To provide immediate relief shelter
2. To provide immediate relief food
3. To provide immediate health care
4. To assist in rebuilding of destroyed homes

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More

Photos

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Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
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Numbers

Served

975 men, women, and children were served.