Merlin, the British medical aid agency, has started operating a mobile clinic in southern Pakistan following a cyclone and the ensuing floods which have claimed more than 200 lives and left at least 150,000 people homeless.
The nine-strong team has been working tirelessly in Balochistan, the worst affected province, where thousands of people are living in makeshift shelters in sweltering temperatures without clean water and sanitation facilities.
In the first four days, Merlin's mobile clinic saw 375 patients, the majority of whom were suffering from dehydration and skin infections such as scabies.
Cyclone Yemyin struck on June 26, and was followed by torrential rains and flash floods that have destroyed thousands of homes and other buildings. Many roads and villages are still under water, which has severely hampered access for aid workers.
Janette Macleod, who is leading Merlin's response, said: "People are suffering in extreme temperatures of around 50 degrees Celsius and they do not have enough safe drinking water. Many of the patients we have treated are suffering from dehydration and exposure, as well as skin infections due to poor hygiene.
"We are concerned that there might be outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases because water supplies have been contaminated by the floods. People are also getting bitten by snakes as they wade through the waters.
"Our mobile clinic is currently serving a population of around 2,500 in Kolt Magsi, but there are thousands of people in other areas who also need help. We are planning to extend our response to other villages that have been cut off by the floods in the next few days."
Merlin's team is equipped with enough medical supplies to treat 10,000 people, in addition to cholera treatment kits, vaccines and high energy biscuits.
Merlin has been working in Pakistan since the October 2005 earthquake, running clinics in camps for displaced people and in mountain villages where all health facilities were destroyed.
Ends
For further information, contact:
Ju-Lin Tan
Senior Communications Officer
Tel:+44 (0)20 7014 1702
Out of office hours: +44 (0)7092 382421
Email: ju-lin.tan@merlin.org.uk
Notes to media:
ยท Merlin is the only specialist UK charity which responds worldwide with vital health care and medical relief for vulnerable people caught up in natural disasters, conflict, disease and health system collapse. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
