No relief in relief camps, claim villagers

Many villagers are being forced to move to their relatives’ homes from medical camps established by authorities. Villagers, who evacuated the Himath Shaikh village, complained on Sunday that their children were suffering from eye, skin and other diseases including malaria, but medical camp officials were not providing them proper treatment and drugs.

“We are buying medicines from Naudero by spending from our own pockets,” said a villager, adding that many of the sufferers were children.

They also complained that they received only one bag of flour when the flood hit their village and since then, nothing has been provided by the “so-called” relief camp operators.

The assistant Mukhtiarkar of Ratodero, Waheed Jokhio, said ever since the villagers moved to their relatives’ homes, they have been unable to provide them any help from the camp. It is essential for the affected people to live in the relief camp because it was established by the government for them only, claimed Jokhio.

The camp near the Himath Shaikh village bore a deserted look with no doctor or paramedics and only five bags of flour.

The Larkana DCO visited the area only once, the villagers said. “No other high-ranking officer has come so far.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2010.