The [Pakistan] government has launched a programme to screen women and children for illnesses and provide them immediate medical aid in the flood-affected areas.
“The government in collaboration with WHO, Unicef, UNFPA, Pakistan Paediatrics Association and Pakistan Gynecologists and Obstetricians Association has begun an exercise to identify pregnant women and sick children and provide them immediate treatment,” said Dr Haroon Afridi, the focal person for the initiative.
During the last four days, more than 200 expecting mothers have been examined and given medication in Charsadda, Nowshera and Peshawar. “We have got the services of gynecologists and paediatricians, who examine the displaced women and children and provide them free treatment after carrying our relevant investigations,” he added. ..
The entire health system had been disturbed by the recent flash floods as 30 health facilities had completely been destroyed and the displaced persons had no place to seek treatment.
“In such scenario, such mobile treatment programmes can help the uprooted people. We have seen six women, who were at the risk of giving birth to babies in dangerous circumstances, but they were referred to Khyber Teaching Hospital and Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar where they received treatment,” Dr Haroon said...
“Along with the treatment component of the programme, we have also health education and hygiene promotion sessions with the displaced population to avoid occurrence of opportunistic ailments,” Dr Haroon added.
So far, 300 children have undergone medical checkup. Most of them were given vitamin and other treatment.
He said that seriously-ill children and women were put in the surveillance system so they could be kept under observation by the health teams. The programme would be extended to other flood-hit districts, he said. A fortnightly review of the programme had also been planned after which health department would decide if it wanted to continue the programme.
In six union councils of Swat district, 97 expecting mothers had been identified who had also been vaccinated against tetanus, he said. He said that most of the women and children required food and clean drinking water.
Source: Ashfaq Yusufzai, Dawn.com, 12 August, 2010 .