Pakistan government prepares to close camps; IMC steps up emergency efforts

Santa Monica, CA – Earthquake survivors in Pakistan are bracing for a March 30 government deadline to close tent villages where they have been living since the quake struck last October. Thousands face the prospect of suffering from inadequate shelter, food and water, and basic health care.

International Medical Corps is shifting its activities to support populations once they leave the camps and return home.

“IMC is in the process of identifying areas where it can establish health care facilities to assist the largest number of people,” said Jehangir Ali Khan, IMC’s country director in Pakistan. “We are also creating comprehensive plans to provide clean water, working sanitation systems and livelihoods programs to the hardest hit areas.”

Those most affected by the quake ventured down to the camps from high altitudes for food, shelter and supplies. Many are farmers, whose lands have either collapsed due to landslides or are filled with debris, making them unusable. Economic concerns stemming from a lack of available work have many feeling alone and uncertain about their future. Particular social and economic challenges face women and children who have been widowed and orphaned.

IMC has already established comprehensive water & sanitation systems in several communities. Once completed, these will benefit nearly 20,000 people. The projects will include hygiene education and solid waste management facilities along with the continued creation of village development organizations, which encourage local involvement in the rehabilitation of their communities.

The roads, especially those connecting side valleys and small villages, are in disrepair due to frequent landslides. The weather adds to the difficulties, as mountaintops remain buried in snow and rains are routine. The government has been focusing on clearing and maintaining roads and IMC is tackling the problem with cash-for-work programs that not only help rehabilitate the infrastructure, but also provide income for families.

Adequate shelter and supplies are still in great demand. In the last week alone, IMC teams distributed more than 1,700 hygiene kits and 380 blankets in the earthquake hit areas. IMC provided health and hygiene education to more than 1,200 people. IMC also continues to offer regular immunization services through its fixed and mobile health facilities. Last week, IMC vaccinated nearly 800 people, 70% of whom were children.

Nonetheless, there are stories of courage, even in this time of uncertainty. “Many want to move ahead and leave this phase behind,” says Ali Khan. “They are looking forward to rebuilding their homes and have high aspirations of raising their children in a better environment and realizing the dreams of those who lost their lives.”

A 10-year-old boy named Naushad Ali, from Garlat village, is one example. Having lost his father and three brothers, he was left to take care of his ailing mother and young sisters. Their house was destroyed and the family was housed in a tent village. “If I had not received these blankets, I don’t know how we would have survived the cold night.”

International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, apolitical, non-sectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

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