August 20, 2010

Although Badar Munir is not sick and needs no clinical help, he visits the World Vision Emergency Medical Camp every day in Koto village near Lower Dir.
 
The village shopkeeper wants to ensure that all the sick and suffering people in his village take advantage of the free medical help being provided by World Vision. A doctor and Lady Health Visitor run the clinic, which means both men and women can seek help here in a culturally acceptable way. A shortage of female medical staff elsewhere makes it extremely difficult for many women and their children to receive the care they need.

Cut off from the outside
 
While Koto is located only a few kilometres from the city centre in Lower Dir, torrential rains and flash floods cut off the village from the district headquarters for more than 10 days. And it happened with no warning.

Badar recalls the gushing torrents that crashed down on the two bridges connecting his area with the outside world.

“We were cut off from the entire world,” he explains. “All the roads were closed as bridges collapsed. There was no electricity. All shops ran out of provisions. There was nothing left to eat. It was a tough ordeal with houses collapsing left and right amidst unceasing downpour from the sky and roaring hill torrent all around.”

Medical needs desperate
 
As flood waters receded, medical needs in Koto became desperate. The only food available is that which is being grown and disease is on the increase while medicines remain short in supply. Lower Dir and surrounding villages like Koto were without electricity for many days.
 
“Crops rotted in the fields,” says Badar. “Trees were uprooted, including fruit-bearing ones like oranges, peaches, apples and apricots. Although not many houses were damaged, the flood waters reached houses in the village threatening graver damages.”

“There was so much water that you could not make out the landscape any longer. And the roar of the flood waters was deafening and all around us.”
 
Badar is not married but cares for the five children of his deceased brother. He was the first person to come seeking medical help for these five children as soon as World Vision set up the facility in his village.

Danger of water-borne disease

World Vision is concerned that water-borne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera will spread among the homeless. Children are already reported to be suffering from skin diseases and eye infections.
 
World Vision has opened three emergency health clinics in Lower Dir and so far has treated:

• More than 4,100 people
• This number includes more than 1,845 children under 15
• World Vision aims to establish 20 health posts and 40 mobile clinics through the hardest-hit areas

Patients are suffering from water-borne diseases and other illnesses related to the floods. These emergency medical facilities are working through close partnership with the World Health Organization and the local government health departments.
 
World Vision also plans to distribute:

• Water purification packets and hygiene kits to 150,000 people
• Tents to 22,500 people
• Cooking items to 75,000
• Food to at least 37,500

World Vision aims to provide cash-for-work activities to 1,000 people, and set up 20 child-friendly spaces and 20 women-friendly spaces to provide safe and comfortable environments for women and children to interact and receive support.

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