The volatile situation in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan continues to cause raising number of displacements each day.
So far 27 camps, in six different districts, have been set up to give temporary shelter for people fleeing the violence. Still there are many people remaining in areas of conflict, trapped due to insecurity and strict curfews, unable to leave their homes and find food, water or the possibility of emergency medical care.
In the midst of the intensified conflict, starting in mid-April, MSF was forced to stop all emergency medical care in the district of Swat in the NWFP. MSF was the only organisation supporting the hospital in Mingora and provided ambulance services in that region. The people are now left without any medical care.
But, not only have people been forced to flee, leaving homes and family members behind - they are now facing new challenges in the camps for displaced people. Rising temperatures, reaching 40 degrees, is making it even more difficult for people to cope in an already difficult situation.
MSF is currently supporting a camp for displaced people in Mardan district located 100km northwest of the capital Islamabad. MSF is providing healthcare, tents, water points for clean water, latrines and is distributing non food items. The medical facility that MSF has set up in the Mardan camp is doing medical consultations in the out-patient department (OPD) for both males and females. MSF also provides free drugs and has a 24-hour response to critical patients and referral by ambulance to the nearest hospital. MSF has set up a labour and delivery room with anti-natal and post-natal care.
In addition, MSF is distributing non-food items to people living in so called ‘non-official camps’, like mosques and school buildings, with essentials such as cooking sets and hygiene and sleeping kits.
MSF´s remaining activities in Pakistan-Baluchistan, Kurram Agency and in the Peshawar area continue to run uninterrupted. MSF also supports basic health units in the Peshawar region that is hosting families displaced by the conflict. MSF also supports a camp in Charsadda and distributes non-food items to displaced people in Peshawar, Charsadda and Mardan since August 2008.
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For its work in Pakistan, MSF does not accept funding from any government or donor agency, and relies solely on donations from the general public.