PRESS RELEASE
31-8-2022
President of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Karachi, Professor Abdullah Muttaqi, while addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club, said that due to the recent extraordinary monsoon rains, the flood had caused immense destruction in most parts of the country, a total of 3 Crore 3 lacs and 46 thousand people were affected by this flood. On this occasion, council members of PIMA Karachi, including Chest Specialist Professor Sohail Akhtar and Dr Rao Mohammad Naeem, in charge of the Relief Department at PIMA Karachi, were also present.
He said PIMA is actively working to provide medical facilities in the flood-affected areas. PIMA has split this relief effort into two parts. In the initial Phase, mobile clinics and camp clinics are being developed. In the second stage, we’ll provide treatment to patients in specialist hospitals with various illnesses via our referral process.
PIMA’s volunteer doctors provide ongoing services to address the health needs of those affected by floods and rains, ensuring their safety from epidemics by establishing clinics and mobile units throughout South Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As of now, 70 centers are being established in 30 locations, where more than 150 paramedics and doctors are offering their services. Medical treatment and medications were provided free of charge to more than 15,000 patients in these camps, at a cost exceeding 1.8 million. The first step in an emergency is to relocate patients to safer locations and provide them with food and shelter.
Dr Abdullah Muttaqi stated that we are attempting to draw the attention of the government and other organizations to the possibility of a medical emergency through a press conference. Teams from PIMA Karachi have conducted medical camps in Skardu District, Nawabshah, and Sajawal, Thatta, over the past two days. Not only are epidemics taking place in flood-affected regions, but diarrhoea, cholera, enteritis, and typhoid have also become more prevalent due to water pollution. Dengue and malaria are rising due to the long-term presence of standing water. These illnesses can cause an increase in mortality in the affected areas. The number of patients suffering from snake bites is also predicted to increase.
Skin diseases, such as fungal infections and scabies, are not uncommon due to a lack of hygiene.
Of all the groups, those most affected are infants and mothers-to-be, as well as the elderly. The availability of milk and food will become harder for babies and mothers, resulting in severe anaemia and weakness for both the mother and baby. Adults who suffer from chronic or incurable diseases like heart, respiratory, liver, diabetes, kidney, or cancer might be affected by interruptions to their continuing treatment and issues taking their medicines. The increase in deaths could be many times higher than the present deaths when timely steps are not implemented.
We asked the government:
- It is urgent to announce the plan to address this possible medical crisis.
- Set up a committee comprised of medical experts to develop a national strategy to prevent these illnesses, especially the spread of epidemics.
- The government must use its resources to build field hospitals that provide essential treatments and preventative facilities to treat these prevalent illnesses.
- Control centers run by the government’s authority must be set up in each district, via which information can be exchanged among different NGOs to prevent the overuse of facilities.
Dr Abdullah said that PIMA Karachi wants to provide a workforce in collaboration with doctors from all over Sindh. We invite young doctors to join us in this worthy cause and offer their full support in providing medical facilities to the people displaced by the floods.
Released
Dr. Shoaib Akram
Press and Media Secretary
The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Karachi is addressing the needs of people affected by rains and floods by providing them with safe protection from epidemics through medical camps and mobile units in South Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. So far, 70 centers have been set up at 30 locations where around 150 doctors and paramedics are rendering their services. Free treatment and medicines were provided to more than 15,000 patients at these camps, valued at approximately 1.8 million. The first step in such a situation is to relocate the victims to safe areas and provide them with food and temporary shelter.
Dr Abdullah Muttaqi stated that the purpose of this press conference is to draw the attention of the government and other organisations to the potential medical crisis. Teams from PIMA Karachi have conducted medical camps in Skardu District, Nawabshah, and Sajawal, Thatta, over the last two days. Not only are epidemics breaking out in flood-affected areas, cholera, diarrhoea, enteritis, and typhoid are becoming epidemic due to polluted water, while dengue and malaria are increasing due to prolonged standing water. These diseases can also lead to increased mortality in affected areas. The number of snakebite patients is also expected to rise.
Skin diseases such as scabies and fungal infections are also common due to a lack of sanitation.
Of all these, the most affected are infants, pregnant women, and the elderly. The supply of milk and food can become more difficult for mothers and their babies, which will cause severe anemia and weakness in both mother and baby. Older adults suffering from incurable or chronic diseases such as heart, respiratory, liver, kidney, diabetes, or cancer may experience interruptions in their already ongoing treatment and difficulties in providing their medicines. This wave of increase in deaths may be many times more than the current deaths if timely measures are not taken.
He said we demand the government:
- Urgently announce the strategy to deal with this potential medical crisis.
- Establish a panel of medical experts to formulate a national policy for preventing these diseases, especially epidemics.
- The government should utilize its resources to establish field hospitals with essential treatment and prevention facilities for these common diseases.
- Control centers under the government should be established in every district, through which information can be exchanged between various NGOs to avoid the wastage of facilities.
Dr Abdullah said that PIMA Karachi aims to provide a workforce in collaboration with doctors from all over Sindh. We invite young doctors to join us in this worthy cause and offer their full support in providing medical facilities to the people displaced by the floods.
Released
Dr. Shoaib Akram
Press and Media Secretary
Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Karachi
