After a month and a half of flooding, the situation on the ground remains critical. The incidence of water-borne diseases are very high and GlobalMedic is taking a two pronged approach to prevent fatalities. First, ill flood victims are being treated in 3 GlobalMedic run hospitals, the majority of which are suffering from severe dehydration. Second, GlobalMedic has installed 28 water purification units throughout 3 provinces of Pakistan to provide clean safe water for displaced families. Combined, these initiatives provide aid to over 24 000 people per day and significantly reduce the incidence of disease.
MARDAN / NOWSHERA
From August 6 to September 11, GlobalMedic and its partner Islamic Help installed 4 Trekker Water Purification Units in the Mardan area. During this period, 300 000 Litres of clean drinking water were produced and 1 million Aquatabs, 20 000 sachets of PUR and 50 000 packages of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) were distributed throughout communities. As of September 12th, the flood waters had receded enough for reconstruction to begin and the Trekker units were relocated to address the need in Sujawal.
SWAT
The distribution of 1.9 million Aquatabs to underserviced families in Swat is continuing through our partner organizations, Sustainable Peace and Development Organization (SPADO) and Mines Advisory Group (MAG). Undetonated landmines have resurfaced from the flood waters, these groups are working to educate affected communities about potential risks and how to keep their families safe.
DAIRA DIN PANAH
3 weeks ago, this area of Punjab was severely affected by floods. 8 members of the Rapid Response Team worked to install 8 Trekker Water Purification Units in schools and mosques. A Nomad Water Purification Unit has been installed in the area, and 3 water trucks are providing 30 000 Ls of water to people living in camps and temporary settlements.
When GlobalMedic arrived in the area, the local hospital was underwater. A 22' by 42' inflatable field hospital was set up in partnership with Islamic Help, and 16 773 patients were treated in the immediate emergency phase. GlobalMedic is pleased to report that the local hospital has been repaired and the inflatable hospital has been relocated to Sujawal.
SUKKUR
A 16-bed Diarrhoea Treatment Centre (DTC) has been established in Sukkur city in partnership with Islamic Help and Indus Hospital. This inflatable hospital is part of the WHO's coordinated response to prevent a Cholera outbreak in the Sukkur region and adheres to strict infection control. Over 200 people are treated each week and operations are expected to continue for an additional 3 months.
In addition, 3 Trekker Water Purification Units are operating just outside the DTC site to provide clean drinking water to 166 hospital patients and 1200 locals in the community.
SHIKARPUR
A second Nomad Water Purification Unit is running in the Shikarpur area to fill water tankers with clean water for distribution in 11 IDP camps. There is a high incidence of water-borne diseases in this area and GlobalMedic is working with Islamic Help to reduce the rate of infection through the distribution of jerry cans and Aquatabs.
SUJAWAL
This southern town in Sindh is still inundated with flood water. There are over 60 000 IDPs in the town and an additional 450 000 in the surrounding area. Sujawal hospital remains underwater and local doctors have partnered with GlobalMedic, Islamic Help and Help the Needy to erect 2 inflatable field hospitals. The men's hospital, 22' by 42', has seen 635 patients in the first 3 days, while the women and children's ward, a 22' by 72' inflatable field hospital, has been outfitted with air conditioners, army beds and emergency medical equipment.
Within 48 hours of arrival, GlobalMedic installed 10 Trekker Units throughout the immediate flood area to provide over 20 000 Ls of water to displaced families. A third Nomad Water Purification Unit is now in place and water tankers and fire trucks are being used to deliver clean drinking water to IDPs living on roads and the river bank. 2000 jerry cans have been distributed in camps, and 30 packages of food and essential items have been delivered to the most vulnerable families.
As of today, 9 members of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) are working in the Sujawal region.
TOTAL WATER - 120 000 Ls per day
- 3 Nomad Water Purification Units (Daira Dinh Panah - Punjab; Larkana- Sindh, Sujawal - Sindh)
- 27 Trekker Water Purification Units (9 - Daira Dinh Panah, Punjab; 8 - Sukkur, Sindh, 10 - Sujawal, Sindh)
- 1 Explorer Water Purification Unit (Sujawal, Sindh)
- 5.6 million Aquatabs (Mardan, Swat, Nowshera, Charsadda, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Larkana, Sujawal)
- 46,080 sachets of PUR (KPK, Swat, Nowshera, Charsadda)
- 45 million Aquatabs delivered to the WASH Cluster
TOTAL HEALTH
- 3 Inflatable Field Hospitals (Sukkur - Sindh, (2) Sujawal - Sindh)
- 166,080 sachets of Oral Rehydration Salts (Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Daira Dinh Panah, Sukkur, Sujawal)
- $600,000 of essential medicines donated (Daira Dinh Panah - Punjab; Sukkur - Sindh)
Update - September 15, 2010
The GlobalMedic Rapid Response Team has been in Sujawal looking at additional sites for water purification units as well as an inflatable hospitals. The Sujawal site is located 25 km south of Thatta, a region of Sindh that has been inundated with flooding. The current hospital is underwater and once the inflatable field hospital is up, staff and undamaged equipment will be transferred over.
Update - September 7, 2010
GlobalMedic is now fully operational in 2 locations in Pakistan including Daira Din Panah in Punjab Province and Sukkur in Sindh Province. At each location, a 22 ft by 42 ft inflatable field hospital has been installed, in addition to a Nomad water purification unit (100 litres per minute). The hospital in Punjab is serving as a primary health care facility while the one in Sindh is functioning as a Diahhrea Treatment Centre (DTC) and cholera response centre. To date, GlobalMedic hospitals in Pakistan have treated more than 16,800 patients. In addition, our teams have purified over 1 million litres of water, and distributed it to flood victims in desperate need.
A 5 member Rapid Response Team is on the ground working around the clock to provide health care and clean drinking water to flood victims. In the coming days, several more Canadian emergency service volunteers will be joining them in the field to increase the capacity of our operations. GlobalMedic is deploying a third inflatable field hospital, in addition to a third Nomad water purification unit. Our RRT, in partnership with Islamic Help UK, is currently assessing locations in Sindh to commence activities on this third operational site. GlobalMedic has been working together with Islamic Help UK in KPK, Punjab and Sindh since the beginning of August. Working closely together we have been able to maximize the efficiency of our operations to target the largest number of flood affected people.
GlobalMedic would like to thank the following companies for their generous support.
GlobalMedic would like to thank the following companies for their generous support.
