ISLAMABAD: Lives of more than one million pregnant women are at stake due to unhygienic conditions in the flood areas across the country, an official from Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) said at a press briefing on Thursday.
General Secretary PIMA Dr Mumtaz Hussain said floods were a huge challenge and needed immediate attention.
A five member delegation of Serendib Foundation for Relief and Development (SFRD) was also present at the occasion and highlighted its efforts in collaboration with PIMA for the flood victims.
The two organisations are planning to provide medicines, doctors (including female physicians), tents and winter clothes especially for the pregnant women of these areas. Hussain said that 6000 doctors including 784 paramedics, 619 medical camps and 35 ambulances had already been provided by these organisations. “Free of cost medicines worth Rs8 million have been given to these people,” he added.
Muhammad Rafiq, relief coordinator SFRD, said that the collaborative effort between the two, PIMA and SFRD, was to enhance relief efforts and make them more effective.
“Five-member teams sent out by SFRD have treated 2800 patients in different areas including Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh and Charsadda,” Rafiq said.
Furthermore, Hussain added that they were eager to send more teams to the areas and were planning to call more doctors and paramedics from abroad. “We plan to continue these efforts with concentration on expectant mothers for at least the next three months.”
“The real danger is of epidemics such as diarrhea, cholera and other viral diseases. Skin infections and water-borne diseases are already beginning to surface. These are not good signs for women and their children,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2010.
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